74 Militants Killed as Nigerian Forces Intensify Nationwide Crackdown on Insurgents and Criminal Networks

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

Seventy-four suspected militants have been killed by Nigerian troops following a series of coordinated military operations across the country between 13 and 19 March 2026, the armed forces have said.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the operations involved ground assaults, clearance patrols and air support missions, leading to the arrest of suspects, rescue of kidnapped victims and recovery of weapons and other illicit materials.

The military said the 74 bodies were discovered after troops repelled a complex attack by insurgents in Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, with several senior commanders among those killed. Weapons recovered included dozens of rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade equipment.

In the wider north-east, troops under Operation Hadin Kai also foiled attacks in Bama, Baga,Buratai and Damboa, while arresting suspected collaborators and logistics suppliers.

Elsewhere in the north-west, operations across Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna states led to the killing of several fighters, the rescue of kidnap victims and the disruption of planned attacks, including a failed attempt to abduct a church leader.

In the north-central region, troops reported further successes, including the arrest of gunrunners and suspected terrorists, the rescue of abducted civilians and the dismantling of an illegal mining site in the Federal Capital Territory.

Operations in the south-south targeted oil theft and drug trafficking, with security forces seizing illegally refined petroleum products, dismantling refining sites and arresting multiple suspects.

Meanwhile, in the south-east, troops engaged suspected militants, neutralised bomb-making specialists and recovered improvised explosive devices and other weapons.

The armed forces said the operations demonstrate continued efforts to curb insecurity nationwide, adding that troops would sustain pressure on armed groups and criminal networks.