Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces, in coordination with other security agencies, have taken down a well-known terrorist leader named Mai Dada and recovered a large number of weapons during several military missions carried out between June 25 and 26, 2025. This information was made public on Sunday in a statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye.
The operations were conducted in several areas across the country, including the North East, North West, North Central, and South South regions. Major General Kangye noted that the Armed Forces carried out the missions with careful planning, and they recorded major success in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and other criminal activities.
In Zamfara State, within the North West zone, troops from 1 Brigade under Operation Fasan Yama killed the notorious terror figure Mai Dada during a counterattack in Maru Local Government Area. This marked a key victory, as Mai Dada was known for orchestrating several deadly attacks in the region.
In another report, a suspect was caught in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State with a pump-action rifle and sharp weapons. Also, in Kaduna State, soldiers from the 2 Battalion, while on an escort mission in Birnin Gwari, faced an ambush by armed riders. They managed to fight back and retrieved an AK-47 rifle with 30 rounds of live ammunition.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, troops from the 82 Division Task Force Battalion, supported by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, went on a fighting patrol in Ngoshe, located in Gwoza Local Government Area. The team recovered 408 rounds of 12.7mm bullets, 1,200 rounds of 7.62mm bullets, and two 40mm RPG bombs from a path used often by fleeing insurgents.
In a separate raid in Bama, also in Borno, the 21 Special Armoured Brigade stormed a hideout, killed three terrorists, and took a Dane gun while destroying makeshift shelters used by the criminals.
In Monguno, still within Borno, Sector 3 troops intercepted a vehicle carrying suspected supplies for terrorists. Items found in the vehicle included fuel, food items like rice and groundnuts, fertilizer, yams, motorcycle headlights, solar lights, empty cement bags, and solar panels. One person was arrested in connection with the incident.
Elsewhere in Benue State, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE rescued five kidnapped passengers along the Peykia–Wukari Road in Ukum Local Government Area. The soldiers engaged the kidnappers in a shootout, forcing them to run into the bush and abandon both the victims and a vehicle.
In the South South region, the army arrested two suspects in Otueke, Bayelsa State. The suspects were caught with homemade pistols and a round of 9mm ammunition.
Kangye also noted that troops under Operation SAFE HAVEN stormed several villages in Plateau State, including Tangur, Kwakas, Horop, Tulus, Jinak, and Hokk in Bokkos Local Government Area. Using drones to move through the hilly terrain, the troops recovered a Dane gun left behind by fleeing criminals.
