Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Army said its counter-insurgency operation in the northeast and other security operations across the country were yielding positive results with the arrest of several terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups in the country, even as the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Turkur Yusufu Buratai, commended the troops for their sustained resilience and courage. He urged them to maintain the momentum against all criminal elements until they were brought to their knees.
Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, who made this known, said soldiers alongside the Cameroonian Defence Force in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters, invaded a popular mountain used by terrorists and rescued several captives from the terrorists.
He said several terrorists were killed and arms and equipment were recovered while others escaped with gunshot injuries.
Iliyasu in the statement said: “As Nigerian Army troops sustain their relentless operations across the nation, more elements of the marauding Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents, as well as bandits and other criminal elements, have either been neutralised or arrested at their hideouts across the country and more of their abductees have been freed.
“On January 7, 2020 for instance, troops of 121 Battalion deployed at Pulka in Gwoza LGA of Borno State while on ‘Operation Rufe Kofa’ cleared and destroyed Boko Haram hideouts at Zeledva Hills along Pulka – Bokko – Ngoshe Road in the same local government. In a related development, the combined troops of 192 Battalion deployed at Gwoza, Borno State, elements of Theatre Strike Force (TSF) and the Cameroonian Defence Force in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters briskly ascended the Ungwan Gara Kwatara mountain enclave of Boko Haram. On sighting the troops, the insurgents fled the enclave in disarray. Nevertheless, the resilient troops went ahead to clear the hideout of any presence and activities of the insurgents. In the process, the troops rescued five abandoned captives including one septuagenarian, three women, and one minor.
“In a similar operation conducted by troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade deployed at Bama, Borno State, on January 9, 2020, troops recovered the mutilated body parts of a neutralized Boko Haram criminal from an earlier encounter and one AK-47 rifle magazine. In another separate encounter, on 8 January 2020, troops of 112 Task Force Battalion deployed in Mafa LGA of Borno State decimated some Boko Haram criminals and captured one AK 47 Rifle, a bandolier of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 4 AK 47 magazines loaded with 120 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition while others were believed to have escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds.
“In another daring encounter with some cowardly Boko Haram criminals on January 6, 2020, troops of 22 Brigade (Main) deployed in Dikwa LGA of Borno State rescued one Mr. Ibrahim who was earlier abducted by the criminals.