ABUJA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 53 gunmen terrorizing the northern part of Nigeria were killed by troops in clearance operations in the past two weeks, the Nigerian military said on Thursday.
Musa Danmadami, a spokesperson for the military, told reporters during a press briefing in the Nigerian capital of Abuja that at least 59 suspected gunmen and kidnappers, as well as their collaborators, were also apprehended during the operations.
A total of 118 abducted victims were rescued in the northern part of the country, said Danmadami, noting that the air component of the military conducted several air interdiction operations on the gunmen's enclaves and logistics base.
In the northeastern region of the country alone, where the remnants of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province groups still operate, the military official said a total of 29 suspected terrorists were killed and 20 others captured by troops.
During the period, a total of 974 terrorists comprising 77 adult males, 364 adult females, and 533 children surrendered to troops at different locations in the northeastern region, he added.
Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. ■