It was a scorecard of high-stakes operations and a major turning point in the nation’s fight against insurgency.
The event also revealed a massive decimation of high-profile terrorist commanders and the rescuing of over 2,300 hostages in 2025
Addressing journalists in an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, says the military has successfully degraded the operational capacity of several terror groups across the country.
He said terrorist leaders including Aminu Kanawa, Dogo Bashiru, and ISIS operative Abba Alai among others have been eliminated.
General Onoja confirmed that precision strikes, conducted in a strategic partnership with the United States, recently hit a staging point in the Parani Forest of Sokoto State to stop the influx of foreign fighters from the Sahel.
He appealed to the public to return military-grade materials found at “iron side” locations to prevent accidental explosion.
The Defence Operations Spokesman also described situation in Northeast as relatively stable, allowing for the return of local authorities and displaced persons, though troops remain on high alert for IEDs.
General Onoja on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff issued a stern warning to internal saboteurs within the ranks, promising no shield for those who betray the state.
He said in 2026, focus will be on modern warfare, deploying more Mine-Resistant vehicles to protect personnel.