Troops of Operation Fire Ball under Operation Lafiya Dole have killed
23 Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWA)
terrorists within three weeks of military clearance operations for
hideouts in Sambisa Forest.
According to the Army, the pursued hideouts; are located in forests of
Borno and Yobe states, including Mandara Mountains in Gwoza and
Madagali councils of Adamawa state.
While briefing journalists Tuesday at Special Army Super Camp 1,
Ngamdu, Borno state, Acting Director Defense Media Operations,
Brig-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko disclosed that; “as a result of the
aggressive offensive actions carried out by the troops, several
terrorists have been neutralized.”
He added that large number of their equipment were also captured,
including the interception of large quantity of logistics consignments
from the hideouts.
“The ongoing military operations in Timbuktu triangle of forest, were
to clear remnants of fleeing Boko Haram terrorists,” he said, noting
the three-week operations, had been successful.
He said during the period under review, the commitments of gallant
troops ensured aggressive clearances, ambushes, day and night patrols
to finally decimate remnants of terrorists.
According to him, a terrorist’s Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
expert was captured alive during an encounter with terrorists in
forest.
“Our troops courageously intercepted some Boko Haram criminals while
attempting to N2 million ransom from relations of their abducted
victims,” he said, adding that two women and three children were also
rescued unhurt.
He said other arms and ammunition recovered include four gun trucks, a
fabricated criminal’s equipment casualty, two anti-aircraft guns, a
general purpose machine gun, two PKT guns.
Other captured arms, comprise eight AK-47 rifles, two AK-47 rifle
magazines, an AK-47 rifle cover, a Dane guns and a cache of
ammunition.
“Eight bicycles, several bags of grains and assorted packets of drugs,
were also recovered during the our operations,” he said; noting that
six soldiers were injured in action.
He said wounded troops have since been evacuated to a military medical
facility and they are responding to treatments.
He assured the people of Nigerian military’s determination to finally
rout remnants of terrorists from the northeast.
