Security — official operational data
Figures below refer to 5 August 2026 unless stated otherwise.
The claim
Defence Headquarters publishes operational results that show significant activity; independent civilian-harm data tells a harder story (see the security-criticism entry).
Figures
DHQ for January–June 2026: 14,221 operations; 1,597 terrorists or insurgents neutralised; 1,516 hostages rescued, 261 from terrorist enclaves; 332 terrorists arrested; 132 Boko Haram/ISWAP members surrendered; 451 firearms, 16,726 rounds and 161 IEDs recovered. Source: Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information. On 5 August 2026, 308 kidnap victims were rescued in a single day — 163 from Woro community in Kaiama LGA, Kwara, and 145 in Niger State from Kainji Lake National Park Forest — described by government as the largest same-day rescue by Nigerian joint forces. Tinubu stated in June 2026 that the military had neutralised over 13,000 terrorists in the preceding year. June 2026 alone: 129 terrorists neutralised, 542 kidnap victims rescued.
The counter-argument
Operational output is not the same as civilian safety. Always pair these figures with the independent data in the security-criticism entry; presenting DHQ figures alone is the single fastest way to lose an audience in the north-west.
Sources
- allAfrica — DHQ half-year operational figuresallafrica.com
- Al Jazeera — 308 kidnap victims rescued, 5 Aug 2026aljazeera.com