Troops have arrested two suspects for allegedly impersonating the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu.

 

 

 

The Director Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, December 22, 2025.

 

 

 

According to the statement, the duo, who were nabbed in Utesi, Ovia Southwest of Edo State, are currently undergoing investigation before they would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.

 

 

 

In the statement which highlighted the activities by the troops in the past weeks, Onoja also revealed that on December 3, two passengers with N9 million intended for payment of ransom for the release of six of their adopted children nabbed at a checkpoint in Kadage in Igabi council of Kaduna State.

 

 

 

Troops also k!lled several terrorists and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from them.

 

 

 

The troops also arrested criminals and terrorist collaborators, rescued some kidnap victims during operations in five out of the six geopolitical zones of the country.

 

 

 

Besides, they seized 652,000 litres of stolen crude, arrested five suspects and destroyed three illegal refining sites.

 

 

 

In the Northeast, many Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP/JAS) fighters were killed, weapons recovered, and three kidnap victims rescued.

 

 

 

Troops repelled an ISWAP attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mairari, striking a blow to the group’s capability.

 

 

 

According to the statement, terrorists tried to breach the base with two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs), but were detected and neutralised.

 

 

 

“The operation led to multiple terrorist casualties and seized weapons, ammunition, and logistics,” the statement added.