The Nigeria Army says militants in the Southeast have bowed to the pressure of troops of 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, OPUK, and surrendered arms alongside other weapons.

The Army made this disclosure in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Sunday.

It said that separate intelligence-led operations resulted in the recovery of additional weapons and an Improvised Explosive Device, IED.

According to the Army, the latest successes further underscore the effectiveness of its integrated kinetic and non-kinetic approach in dismantling criminal networks and restoring lasting peace and security across the region.

It added that the breakthrough followed sustained operational pressure mounted by troops of 34 Artillery Brigade and the recent arrest of suspects linked to the killing of a soldier.

The Army further stated that been unable to withstand the relentless military offensive, members of a militant group operating within Egbema and its environs voluntarily began surrendering their weapons.

It noted that one of the suspects who disclosed the location where the group’s weapons had been concealed and hidden, led security team to exhume the site.

“Items recovered include one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 magazines, 54 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition and four locally fabricated firearms,” the Army said.

In a related development, troops of Sector 5 OPUK, acting on credible intelligence, conducted a follow-up operation that led to the successful recovery of two General Purpose Machine Guns, GPMGs, 45 rounds of 7.62 mm x 51 ammunition and one Improvised Explosive Device, IED, further denying criminal elements the capability to threaten public safety and security in the region.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have in the last 24 hours, rescued 34 kidnap victims, apprehended suspected ISWAP informants and recovered arms, ammunition in coordinated operations nationwide.

This is contained in an operational report made available on Sunday.

The report said that troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued 31 kidnap victims from terrorists along the Buratai-Kamuya road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.

It said the rescue followed a swift response after troops of 135 Special Forces Battalion detected ISWAP/JAS terrorists abducting civilians from four vehicles through CCTV surveillance.

According to the report, troops immediately deployed a quick reaction force, engaged the terrorists and forced them to abandon the victims and flee with one motorcycle left behind.

“In another operation, troops of 145 Battalion conducted a fighting patrol to the Turoh general area of Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area.

“The terrorists reportedly fled on sighting the troops, leaving behind two motorcycles and illicit drugs recovered during exploitation of the area.

“Also, troops of 232 Battalion Tactical apprehended a suspected ISWAP informant at Garaha Market in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa,” it said.

In the North-West, the report revealed that troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA engaged terrorists moving with rustled cattle in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.

It added that the troops’ superior fire power forced the terrorists to withdraw in disarray during the encounter.

The report also revealed that troops of Operation MESA rescued a kidnapped woman and her two children along the old Obajana-Jakura-Tajimi road in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.

According to the report, preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted on July 29 from a Ruga settlement in the Gada-Biyu area of the same local government.

“In Plateau State, troops of Operation Enduring Peace responded to reports of an attack on a herder in Bassa Local Government Area.

“The assailants had fled before the troops arrived, while the deceased and recovered cattle were handed over to the victim’s family,” it added.

In the South-East, the report said the troops of Operation UDO KA recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of three suspected terrorists linked to the ambush of troops in Imo on May 4.

It added that the operation, conducted in Delta and Imo States, followed intelligence obtained from earlier arrested suspects.

According to the report, troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, one FN rifle, a pistol, 11 AK-47 magazines, two FN magazines, 239 rounds of assorted ammunition, a fragmentation jacket and other military items from terrorist camps.

“The recovered weapons included rifles earlier carted away during the May ambush on troops, while further exploitation led to the discovery of another terrorist camp containing additional arms and ammunition,” it said. 

A female driver has died after the Toyota Sienna she was driving veered off the road and crashed into a roadside building at Mongoro, inward Ile-Zik, in Lagos.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday, describing it as a tragic lone road crash.

The agency said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased, who was driving a Toyota Sienna with registration number LND 162 HB, lost control of the vehicle before it left the carriageway and rammed into a roadside building.

According to LASTMA, the impact of the crash was severe, resulting in the driver’s immediate death. She was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the incident.

LASTMA said its personnel, who were on routine patrol along the corridor, responded immediately after receiving reports of the accident.

The officers secured the scene by placing safety cones around the affected section of the road and began traffic control to prevent gridlock, avert secondary crashes and ensure the safety of other road users while evacuation and recovery operations were carried out.

The agency noted that although the accident temporarily disrupted traffic flow, the prompt response of its officers helped restore normal vehicular movement within a short time.

It added that operatives of the Afonka Police Post under the Shasha Divisional Police Headquarters provided security throughout the emergency operation and remained at the scene until the evacuation exercise was completed.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the crash as a painful reminder of the dangers of excessive speeding and reckless driving.

According to him, speed limits are not merely legal requirements but essential safety measures designed to protect motorists and other road users from avoidable tragedies.

“Every journey must be undertaken with prudence, patience and an unwavering commitment to established traffic regulations. No destination is worth the ultimate sacrifice of human life. Excessive speed remains one of the foremost causes of fatal road traffic crashes and motorists must, at all times, exercise the highest degree of caution, restraint and responsibility while behind the wheel,” the General Manager stated.

Bakare-Oki also urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are mechanically sound before embarking on any journey.

He stressed that any sign of mechanical fault or operational malfunction should prompt drivers to stop using the vehicle until it has been professionally repaired.

The LASTMA boss extended the agency’s condolences to the family of the deceased, praying that God grants them the strength and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.