The Police and Nigerian Army have lost two personnel and a soldier during joint military/police operations in Abadam Council of Borno state. The counter-terrorism operations, came three days after Governor Babagana Zulum cut short of his visit to Abadam and Malam Fatori by suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents. The Governor was to return over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge at Bosso in Niger Republic.
Lamenting the loss of personnel Thursday in Maiduguri, the state capital, the Commander of the Borno crack team, CSP Mohammed Ibrahim; disclosed that the joint clearance operation team came under fierce fire in the early hours of Wednesday. He added that the clearance operations were on the order of the governor to mobilize 500 security personnel to facilitate return of IDPs to Abadam and Malam Fatori communities on shores of Lake Chad. “The terrorists attacked the town in several gun trucks and mounted Anti AirCraft guns and motorcycles,” he said, stating that the joint operational team helped in repelling the insurgents towards the lake.
Continuing, he said: “The gallant role exhibited by our crack team helped in pushing back the terrorists. “But we lost two of our MOPOL and a soldier during the gun battle with the terrorists which lasted for about one hour.” He said that Malam-Fatori is the Council headquarters of Abadam and known to be the stronghold of the ISWAP terror group.“Abadam council is being occupied by ISWAP leaders as well as the Shura Council. The soldiers of Operation Hadin Kai had also suffered several attacks and shelling by the insurgents in October this year. In spite of the increasing insecurity situation in the Abadam/Malam Fatori axis area; Zulum has insisted that all the IDPs and refugees from Niger return by December, 2021.
