Army kills 12 terrorists, arrests six, rescues 465 in Borno, Adamawa

Troops of 217, 144 Tank Battalion and 29 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army have neutralised 12 Boko Haram terrorists and rescued 465 civilians in Kopa and Jakana/Mainok axis of Borno and Adamawa states.

During the two-day operations, the soldiers also arrested six insurgents in Konduga council area of Borno.

Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, yesterday in Maiduguri said: “Our military operations were jointly coordinated by the Army Task Forces and Battalions between January 2 and 4, 2020.”

He said on January 2, some “criminal Boko Haram insurgents attempted again to infiltrate Michika township in Adamawa State.”

According to him, the botched infiltration was to wreak havoc on innocent and law-abiding residents of the municipality, adding that the “troops swiftly rose in defence of the town by repelling the attack before killing six Boko Haram terrorists that had been hibernating in the Mandara mountains.”

Throwing more light on the attempted penetration, the spokesman stated: “The criminals went to the town in gun trucks and motorcycles late in the afternoon.

“They began to shoot sporadically, causing uproar in the peaceful community.

“The attacks compelled residents to scamper for safety, before the troops repelled the insurgents on the border township with Cameroun.

“The courageous troops immediately mobilised, blocked and engaged the criminals with overwhelmingly superior firepower and they were forced to abandon their heinous intentions by retreating in disarray with high casualty of men and equipment.”

Iliyasu added: “Unconfirmed numbers of dead and wounded criminal elements were believed to have been hauled away by the withdrawing insurgents.”

He said the evacuation of the dead and wounded terrorists was indicated by the traces of blood on their retreating routes downwards the mountain and forest.

The coordinator listed arms and ammunition recovered from the terrorists to include a gun truck mounted with anti-aircraft weapon, two AK 47 rifles, four AK 47rifle magazines, two motorcycles, a machete, food items and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

On the Adamawa settlement’s assault, Iliyasu said: “In a related development, troops of 144 Battalion responded to a distress call on an impending Boko Haram criminals’ attack on Kopa village in Madagali Local Council.”

“They encountered a Boko Haram criminals’ ambush established to prevent troops’ counter-action against their assailment on the village.”

He said the military personnel cleared the trap and engaged the sect headlong.

The spokesman added that several arms and ammunition were captured, including a gun truck, two motorcycles and 36 hand grenades.

“Regrettably, an officer and a soldier were wounded in action in the two encounters,” he hinted.

Similarly, troops of 159 Task Force Battalion deployed along the Main Supply Damasak-Kareto route on January 2, 2019 rescued four children aged between 10 and 14 years.

He said the kids were abducted from Damasak in 2015 by the criminal elements, adding that their parents had been contacted for identification and reunion.