The Strategic Communication Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC) said on Thursday troops deployed to various theatres of operation killed 857 suspected terrorists in the country last month.

SCIPC is a committee of the spokespersons of the military, police, intelligence and response agencies set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, presented the update at a media briefing in Abuja.

He said the troops also arrested 1,638 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements and rescued 921 kidnapped hostages during the period.

Adejobi said the troops recovered 894 weapons, 21,538 ammunitions and denied the oil thieves an estimated sum of over N5 billion during the month.

The police spokesman listed the recovered arms and ammunition to include 313 AK47 rifles, 76 locally fabricated guns, 92 Dane guns, and 14,243 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.

Others are 4,209 rounds of 7.62mm NΑΤΟ, 222 assorted arms and 3,369 assorted ammunition.

Adejobi said: “Also recovered were 3,994,080 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,879,630 litres of illegally refined AGO, 29,275 litres of DPK and 26,900 litres of PMS amongst other items.

“In a notable victory, a notorious terrorist was captured in Yobe on June 13.

“Further demonstrating the proactive stance of the security agencies, the army announced on June 15 the deployment of 5,937 new soldiers to combat banditry, secessionist agitation, and other threats.

“The MNJTF also eliminated 70 terrorists in ongoing Operation Lake Sanity 2 in the Lake Chad Basin in recent airstrikes targeting terrorist camps in Cameroon and Nigeria.

“The operation resulted in the killing of many terrorists and forcing others to flee into Chad.

“The operation also destroyed eight vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) near Arinna Ciki and ammunition bunkers northeast of Malam Fatori.”

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