The military released the list on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (a.k.a Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Ogenerukeywe, Reuben Baru, Igoli Ebi.

According to the military high command, one of the arrested terrorists confessed to being one of the masterminds of the  March 28, 2022, Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Musa Danmadami, stated this on Thursday in a statement made available to our correspondent.

He added that troops mobilised to the location and recovered two motorcycles, two mobile phones, the sum of $5,000 as well as some other currencies.

The statement partly read, “Similarly, troops of Operation Whirl Punch on February 14, 2023, responded to information on the presence of Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province kingpins at Damba community in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Subsequently, troops mobilised to the location and arrested three terrorists. One of the terrorists arrested was identified as one of the masterminds of  the March 28, 2022 terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna.”

Also, on February 16, 2023, troops on fighting patrol engaged terrorists at Ungwan Birni in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, neutralising seven of the terrorists while the others fled.

Danmadami said on  February 20, 2023, troops on fighting patrol in Gada Oli village in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State recovered two AK-47 rifles, one magazines, 66 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition and seven BH/ISWAP terrorist flags.

He stated that troops in the North-West zone recovered 10 AK-47 rifles, 83 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 238 rounds of 7.62mm special, two locally-fabricated rifles, one locally-fabricated pistol, seven magazines, 19 motorcycles, mobile phones, 30 rustled cattle and other sundry items.

He added that troops neutralised 23 terrorists and arrested nine while 23 abducted civilians were rescued.

They insisted that their communities were not safe enough for elections to take place and urged the Federal Government to devise urgent strategies to address the situation.

However, the Defence Headquarters said that more troops would be deployed in the affected states and communities, assuring that they would be safe enough for the elections to hold.

A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing the Sabon-Birni Local Government, one of the local government areas facing security challenges, Aminu Boza, said until the security situation improved in the area, elections might not take place.

The lawmaker, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, said more than 40 villages in the council were affected by insecurity.

He said only the headquarters of the Sabon Birni, Isa and Goronyo local government areas were safe for elections.

He stated, “I can tell you that most of the people in the villages in those three local governments have run away from their homes; who is going to participate in the elections?

In fact, in all the eight local government areas comprising the Eastern Senatorial District, I doubt if there is going to be any election unless the situation improves from what we have today.”

The local governments are Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Rabbah, Gwadabawa, Ilela, Gada and Wurno.

Boza, however, commended the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel, for dispatching security personnel to the local governments to restore law and order.

Also speaking, Mallam Haruna Abbah, a resident of Isa LGA, corroborated the lawmaker, saying only the local government headquarters and a few villages were safe for elections in the state.

Abbah called on security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that peace returned to the local government before the polls.

But the Head of Voters Education, INEC, in Sokoto State, Muhammad Takai, gave an assurance that security agencies would ensure the safety of all before, during and after the polls.

He said the commission had held a series of meetings with the heads of security agencies in the state with the assurance that things would improve before the elections.

The police spokesman in the state, Sanusi Abubakar, could not be reached for comments, but a senior police officer said everything was being done to restore peace in the affected areas.

While in the regions, no fewer than 75 terrorists were killed and 65 arrested.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, disclosed this on Thursday during the biweekly update on Armed Forces of Nigeria operations between December 22, 2022, and January 12, 2023.

He also said a total of 377 terrorists surrendered to troops during the period under review.

He said, “In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 25 terrorists and arrested 18 terrorists, as well as 21 terrorist logistics suppliers, two terrorist foreign informants, and 5 kidnappers.

“The troops also rescued 47 abducted civilians, while a total of 377 Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and members of their families, comprising 52 adult males, 126 adult females, and 199 children, surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatres of operations.

“Also, troops within the last three weeks recovered 21 AK-47 rifles, four FN rifles, three locally made pump-action guns, five locally made pistols, three PKT machine guns, 124 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 139 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 29 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, a 140mm bomb, one UXO 81mm mortar bomb, three RPG tubes and bombs, five x 36 hand grenades, five Dane guns, and five FN magazines. Other items recovered include 19 drums of automotive gas oil, five drums of premium motor spirit, 10 bags of assorted grains, 10 crates of soft drinks, 150 pieces of used clothing, 50 pieces of women’s fabrics, 50 pieces of children’s clothing, 30 pairs of women’s footwear, textile materials, medical supplies, 21 motorcycles, 16 bicycles, 2 grinding machines, 1 tanker loaded with PMS, 30 rustle cattle, the sum of N938,580.00 and other sundry items.”

The inferno, whose cause was yet to be ascertained, was said to have occurred on the second floor of the DHQ.

It was gathered that personnel of the Federal Fire Service and military personnel were battling the fire.

The Director, Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, confirmed the incident.

He added that the fire had been brought under control, adding that all staff had been evacuated.

He said, “A minor fire incident occurred on the second floor of the Defence Headquarters, Garki Abuja this afternoon 12 December 2022. The cause of the fire outbreak is unknown at this moment.

“However, the incident has been brought under control with the combined effort of the military and Federal Fire Service personnel and resources. All personnel and civilian staff were also evacuated without injury or loss of life.

Accordingly, normalcy has returned. Investigation to determine the cause of the fire incident commenced immediately.

“We thank the Federal Fire Service and the entire public for the continued support and goodwill to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Those who surrendered, according to the military high command, include 2,490 children; 1,415 women and 814 men.

Addressing journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday on the activities of the military between June 16 and 30, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko, said all the surrendered terrorists have been profiled.

He said, “Members of Boko Haram terrorists have continued to surrender to own troops at different locations in the theatre. Between June 1 and 15, 2022, a total of 4,770 of them, comprising 864 adult males, 1,415 women and 2,490 children surrendered.

All surrendered Boko Haram terrorists/Islamic State West Africa Province members and families were profiled and documented while all arrested and recovered items were handed over to the appropriate authority for further actions.”

Onyeuko also said 82 terrorists in Zamfara were neutralised while others sustained various degrees of injuries.

According to him, troops were hinted about an impending attack on Kofar Danya Village by terrorists numbering 150.

He said the Nigeria Air Force carried out air interdiction on their enclave, leading to their death.

Onyeuko added that over three million litres of AGO and 3.8 million litres of crude oil among others were recovered from oil thieves within the period under review.

Acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Bernard Onyeuko told newsmen on Thursday, June 3 that retirement of senior officers from the military is always voluntary.

Onyeuko added that the military high command is yet to authorise the retirement of any officer.

He said “At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya. This has stirred up a lot of rumours in the media about mass retirements in the military. I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours as retirement is only on a voluntary basis for senior officers who desire to do so. At this point, no retirements have been authorised by the military high command”

Amnesty International were accused of deliberately supporting the acts of terrorism perpetrated against Nigeria by the Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African State (ISWAP) terror groups.

In a statement released by the Defence Headquarters’ Acting Director Defence Information Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the non-governmental organization were accused of undermining Nigeria’s Military campaign against terrorism in the North East.

The statement reads “The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has taken cognizance of yet another falsified report by Amnesty International (AI) in a campaign of calumny targeting the Nigerian Military and deliberately supporting the callous acts of terrorism perpetuated by Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP). This inglorious campaign is contained in a recent report alleging employment of unlawful tactics of razing down villages and unlawful detention of locals by troops. This is line with the AIs usual mannerism and tenacious efforts aimed at disparaging the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN). The Defence Headquarters wishes to state unambiguously that the allegations being touted by AI are nothing but a betrayal of its lack of in-depth knowledge of the goings-on in the North East (NE) theatre of operation. It is expedient to state that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole who are conducting Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Operations in the NE do not employ arson as an operational tactic. It is a well-known fact, going by the modus operandi of BHTs, that they have more often than not engaged in the atrocious acts of looting and burning of villages, as well as destroying infrastructures. It therefore, beats ones imagination that AI is attributing these atrocities to AFN troops who are legitimately defending the country guided by extant rules of engagement and operational codes of conduct. AI must understand the fact that Nigeria is at war against terrorism in the NE and that the troops have a constitutional mandate to protect lives and property, even if it means conducting an evacuation to save and secure lives of civilians in the conflict. Protecting civilians by evacuating them from the line of fire during combat is not a violation of the international law of conflict or a war crime. It is rather a commendable effort by the troops to prevent collateral damage during combat. Our troops should therefore be commended for making deliberate efforts to evacuate civilians in order to protect their lives and property. It is also crucial to point out, that troops deployed to fight terrorism in the NE do not attack or raze down villages, communities or settlements, rather they launch offensive on terrorists’ camps, enclaves and hide outs. Based on actionable intelligence, persons who provide logistics and other forms of support to the terrorists are arrested and subjected to thorough investigation by a combined team of professionals drawn from the intelligence community of the Armed Forces and other security agencies. Anyone not found culpable is not held in custody for further investigations. AI must therefore put an end to its reckless distortion of facts in its desperate bid to satisfy its puppeteers by undermining Nigeria’s Military campaign against terrorism in the NE. We urge members of the public to please discountenance AIs report, as it is not a true and realistic reflection of troops’ counter terrorism operation in the NE”

Acting Director of Information DHQ, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, announced that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, constituted the committee following the directive of President Buhari.

The committee, which would be headed by Rear Admiral I.T. Olaiya, has representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services and the Defence Intelligence Agency.