The
Nigerian Army has said it killed more than 50 members of the Boko Haram
terror group and destroyed several high-caliber arms and ammunition in
the Lake Chad area in recent operations.
The Army also disclosed that four of its
men on counter-insurgency operations in the North East were killed,
while nine others sustained serious injuries in an encounter with the
terrorists in Borno State.
Director, Army Public Relations,
Brigadier-General Sani Usman, who made this known this week, said the
incident happened after a Boko Haram vehicle laden with improvised
explosive devices (IED) rammed into an MRAP vehicle conveying the
soldiers.
Usman said the bodies of the deceased
soldiers have been deposited in a mortuary, while the wounded have been
taken to 8 Division Medical Services and Hospital, Monguno, for medical
attention.
The Army also said the soldiers recovered
several other weapons belonging to the terrorists and destroyed their
locations in Metele village, Tumbun Gini and Tumbun Ndjamena.
Usman said the feat was recorded in the
ongoing Operation Deep Punch 2 being conducted in the various sectors.
Usman, in the statement, said: “Troops in Operation Lafiya Dole have
been making tremendous progress in the ongoing Operation Deep Punch 2 in
the various sectors. So far, the troops have neutralised over 50 Boko
Haram terrorists, destroyed and captured high-calibre arms and
ammunition, especially in the Lake Chad general area.
“Troops, on January 8, 2018, cleared Boko
Haram terrorists in Metele village, Tumbun Gini and Tumbun Ndjamena.
During the clearance operations, Boko Haram terrorists abandoned the
area in disarray, leaving behind livestock, large quantity of foodstuff,
motorcycles and donkeys. Also, in Metele, however, the terrorists
attempted to attack troops in harbour but this was stiffly resisted with
heavy casualty on Boko Haram terrorists.
“Troops neutralised over 57 of them,
destroyed gun trucks and other equipment. The gallant troops also
discovered terrorists’ logistics base at Tumbu Ndjamena, which held
stocks of fish, foodstuffs, fuel and motorcycles. All these items were
promptly destroyed.
“Troops also captured one anti-aircraft
gun, 116 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition with metal links, four AK-47
rifles, 57 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition (special), two light machine
guns, two rocket-propelled grenade 7 tubes, with one RPG bomb and two
already primed 36 hand grenades. Other recovered items include one small
solar panel with a Gionee mobile phone, one Holy Qur’an, six Hadith books as well as five gun trucks (which were destroyed).
“Sadly, four of our troops paid the
supreme price while nine others were wounded in action. Specifically, a
Boko Haram vehicle laden with IEDs rammed into an MRAP vehicle, which
exploded, killing three soldiers, a Civilian JTF and wounding the other
soldiers. The bodies of the gallant and wounded heroes have been
evacuated to 8 Division Medical Services and Hospital, Monguno.”
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