Military Takes Down Over 15,000 Terrorists in Three Years, APC PCC

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has announced that the Nigerian military has killed over 15,000 terrorists and bandits in the last three years. They also reported that more than 130,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families have surrendered under the Federal Government's rehabilitation program.

In a statement released on Sunday, Dele Alake, the spokesperson for the APC campaign council and Minister of Solid Minerals, said President Bola Tinubu has created a Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan. This plan aims to boost Nigeria’s security, improve military effectiveness, and ensure a coordinated response to new threats.

The council credited the military's success to ongoing operations and non-violent strategies under Tinubu’s leadership. They highlighted that the government is taking a thorough approach to fight terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other security issues across Nigeria.

The APC PCC said, “President Bola Tinubu is determined to end the 17-year problem of insecurity troubling parts of Nigeria through a comprehensive Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan designed to strengthen the country’s security, improve military effectiveness, and ensure a coordinated response to emerging threats.

“The plan provides a long-term framework for aligning defence priorities, operational needs, capability growth, and spending with Nigeria’s current and expected security challenges.

“This initiative is a key part of President Tinubu’s goal to reshape the nation’s security system into a more coordinated, intelligence-driven, tech-enabled, and prevention-focused approach that can tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other crimes.

“In the last three years, the scale of military operations under this administration has led to the elimination of over 15,000 Boko Haram terrorists and bandits, while more than 130,000 Boko Haram fighters and dependants have surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor, the Federal Government’s rehabilitation program for repentant insurgents.”

The APC Presidential Campaign Council stated that these achievements show the Tinubu administration’s dual approach of ongoing military actions and non-military efforts to address insecurity across Nigeria.

They added that Tinubu has set up four new Army divisions and restructured existing military units to enhance the Nigerian Army’s capacity and its ability to respond to security threats.

The statement continued, “The reforms aim to broaden operational coverage, decentralize military actions, and allow troops to respond more quickly to security challenges across Nigeria.

“The President has also approved the creation of two more Army depots in Osogbo, Osun State, and Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, to increase military training capacity and speed up the recruitment and training of new soldiers.

“Each depot can hold 6,000 recruits at once, bringing the total training capacity to 12,000 soldiers. The Osogbo facility is already in use, with 5,210 recruits currently in training there.

“Expanding training facilities is expected to shorten recruit training time and increase the number of soldiers ready for deployment.”

The APC PCC mentioned that Tinubu has also approved the hiring of 28,000 more soldiers to strengthen the military’s manpower, expand its presence across Nigeria, and enhance its operational capacity.

They added that the President has authorized the recruitment of 50,000 more police officers to boost internal security, expand police capacity, and improve the fight against crime.

The campaign council noted that the administration is also investing in military housing and operational infrastructure. This includes a 700-unit barracks in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, to improve the living and working conditions of military personnel.

They said, “These facilities are expected to provide the housing and operational support personnel need while enhancing the military’s ability to maintain an effective presence in the area.

“These actions show the administration’s commitment to solving manpower and infrastructure problems, improving the capacity of security agencies, and ensuring personnel are well-trained, equipped, and deployed to areas facing security issues.

“Under the Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan, the Federal Government is taking a more strategic approach to national defense. They want to ensure that investments in security are based on clearly identified threats, operational needs, and national priorities.

“This plan is expected to strengthen combat readiness, address critical capability gaps, optimize available resources, and reduce unnecessary spending and waste.”

With the presidential election approaching on January 16, 2027, insecurity has been a major topic in campaign discussions.

As Tinubu seeks re-election, Nigerians and opposition leaders have shared mixed opinions about his government’s performance, especially regarding its handling of the country’s security issues.