Troops Kill 167 Boko Haram Insurgents, Rescue 350 Captives

Troops of the Nigerian Army
currently battling Boko Haram in
northeast Nigeria yesterday
rescued 350 persons and killed 167
insurgents in separate operations.
The rescue of the captives followed
a successful raid of 17 notorious
villages where they terrorist had
their camps during which five
militants were killed, officials said.
Also, Nigerian troops and
Cameroonian soldiers killed 162
insurgents, bringing the number of
Islamist militants killed in raids to
167.
Spokesman of Nigeria Army,
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman,
who made this known in a
statement, said the troops in the
frontlines had waged a series of
successful campaigns against the
insurgents.
He said: “In their efforts, troops of
7 Division Garrison, 112 Battalion,
Army Headquarters Support
Group and elements of Armed
Forces Special Forces conducted a
joint fighting patrol at suspected
Boko Haram terrorists enclaves in
Gajibo, Maula, Gamai, Gamare,
Maiwa, Warsale, Tangli, Tushi,
Sowa, Hasanari, Changuwa,
Malamaja and Marya towns in
Mafa and Dikwa Local
Governments Areas.
“In the encounter, five Boko
Haram terrorists were killed, an
AK-47 rifle, 10 motorcycles and
one logistic truck belonging to the
terrorists were recovered. The
troops also rescued 350 people
held hostages by the terrorists.
Among those rescued were five
girls abducted from Cameroon.
“Yesterday, one of the patrol
teams of 254 Task Force Battalion
carried out a clearance operation
at Kubwa village, Borno State, in
which they arrested two suspected
Boko Haram terrorists hiding
among the community”, Colonel
Usman said.
“Another patrol team of the same
unit carried out clearance
operation at Yakshari village, off
Wajiroko along Ajigin-Talala road
and proceeded to Korode. It was
here also that some suspected
Boko Haram elements, on sighting
the troops, ran and abandoned six
motorcycles and beans looted
from the inhabitants of the area.
The same team also recovered 21
motorcycles and Boko Haram
terrorists’ flag at Korode
abandoned by the fleeing
terrorists.
“Similarly, a civilian vehicle
encountered an Improvised
Explosive Device (IED) at the area
which badly affected it. The troops
also discovered another IED at
Mauvi village which was safely
detonated.
According to him, in order to boost
troops morale, the General Officer
Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier
General VO Ezugwu, had visited 26
Task force Brigade and
commended troops of 121 Task
Force Battalion for the successful
joint clearance operations at
Kirawa and Ngoshe, with
assistance from Cameroonian
forces.
Meanwhile, Cameroonian
Communication Minister, Issa
Bakary, yesterday revealed that
Cameroonian and Nigerian troops
have taken a key base of Boko
Haram in northern Nigeria, killing
162 insurgents.
He said in Yaounde that the assault
against the insurgents in Goshe,
near the Cameroonian border,
lasted from Thursday to Sunday.
Bakary said the allied troops
destroyed four artisanal mine
factories, seizing mines, suicide
bomber vests, ammunition and
other weaponry.
The minister said the troops also
set a Boko Haram training centre
on fire.
“Hundreds of people held hostage
by the terrorists were also
released.
“Cameroon lost two soldiers to
land mines in the assault,’’ he said.