Defense Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has disclosed that no fewer than 8,000 terrorists and armed bandits were neutralised across Nigeria in 2024 under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Matawalle made this known while reviewing the performance of the current administration in the area of national security.
He attributed the significant reduction in terror-related incidents to the enhanced operational strategies and renewed leadership focus introduced by the Tinubu government.
According to the minister, the military has not only intensified combat operations but has also adopted a more intelligence-driven approach to neutralise threats across various regions, especially in the North-East, North-West, and parts of the Middle Belt.
In addition to those neutralised, over 11,600 suspected criminals were arrested, while more than 10,000 illegal firearms were recovered by security operatives from various theatres of operation.
The data was contained in a statement issued on Monday by Patience Ituke on behalf of the Director, Information and Public Relations, at the Ministry of Defence.
The statement highlighted the federal government’s continued commitment to restoring peace and security across the nation.
Matawalle reaffirmed that the Ministry of Defence remains focused on equipping security agencies with the necessary tools to combat insecurity, assuring Nigerians that more decisive actions will be taken to sustain recent gains.
