Soldiers Kill 90 Terrorists, Rescue 387 Captives In Borno, Yobe

• Recover 985 Arms 

THE Deputy Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Lucky Irabor, has said that three Boko Haram suicide bombers attempted to infiltrate and attack Maiduguri yesterday, but were intercepted by troops who killed one in the process, while the two others died after detonating the explosives strapped to their bodies in the morning.

Irabor disclosed this at the Media Centre, Maiduguri, while briefing journalists on the various military operations conducted within the last five days to flush out terrorists in the Northeast.

He said during the operations, 90 suspects were killed and 33 Kalashnikov rifles, arms and 887 ammunitions recovered from them in Borno and Yobe states.

Irabor stated: “Other vehicles, motorcycles and rifles of the Boko Haram terrorists were also destroyed in Afe, Kudiye, Souma, Dika, Mijigeta and Mida in Borno State.

“During the operations, our troops made contact with terrorists at Kudiye, Mijigete and 20 suspects were killed, while three rifles, 41 motorcycles were destroyed. Our troops were able to rescue 370 hostages and brought them to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp at Dikwa.

“In Huyum, Jeje and Diba villages of Borno, the terrorists, sighting our
troops, abandoned their families, including five women and 12 children. Our troops also came under terrorists ambush at Rugga Fulani. During this encounter, eight terrorists were killed, two AK 47 rifles, locally-made dane guns, three AK 47 magazines, with 38 rounds of ammunition were recovered”, Irabor said.

He added:The hideouts of the terrorists at Wala, Tirkopytir and Durubajuwe villages were also cleared. During the operation, troops recovered a rusty GPMG barrel, a grinding machine and a locally-made dane gun.

“However, 14 terrorists attacked Chrogusko village in northern Yobe State, to which troops mobilised and killed them, before recovering their arms, ammunition, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and other related equipment used in terrorising people.”

On how attempts to enter Maiduguri were thwarted, he said: “On January 21, this year, ahead of cashew plantation, near Maiduguri metropolis, an unknown civilian tried to gain access to the village, but was confronted by a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

“In the ensuing interrogation, he stabbed a member of CJTF to death but was shot by another member of the task force.”
He however, said three soldiers were wounded during the five-day military operations and noted that during the encounters with terrorists, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) provided close air support.