• MNJTF kills five terrorists, destroys ISWAP camps in Borno
Precision strike by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch (OPWP) on Wednesday, December 6, in Shiroro Local Council of Niger State neutralised many terrorists, including the dreaded terrorist and kidnap kingpin, ‘Yellow Jambros’.
The terrorists reportedly met their waterloo while attempting to cross Jikudna River in Galadima Kogo District, heading towards Wurukuvhi axis of Chikun Local Council.
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said: “Prior to the strike, Yellow Jambros and his cohorts were trailed from Zamfara State into Niger State riding 13 motorcycles along the Kaduna/Niger border towards Kusasu in Shiroro. At Kusasu, five other motorcycle-riding terrorists joined their convoy, bringing the number of motorcycles to 18, which then headed towards the bank of River Jikudna. At the riverbank, the terrorists and their 18 motorcycles boarded a large motorised canoe to cross and link up with other terrorists across the river.
“It was at this point that the authorisation to strike was given. The precision strike was adjudged effective, as it neutralised Yellow Jambros and his colleagues, destroyed their motorcycles and sank the boat.”
According to him, it was unusual for terrorists riding in a convoy of 18 motorcycles to travel in broad daylight, but it was apparent that Yellow Jambros and his cohorts had assumed that air strikes were suspended following the unfortunate incident at Tudun Biri in Kaduna and wanted to exploit the window of opportunity.”
MEANWHILE, troops of 242 Battalion, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have killed five terrorists and destroyed their camps in four villages of Monguno Local Council, Borno State.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists were reportedly neutralised during a coordinated clearance operation of December 4, 2023 in the hideouts of Lake Chad Basin.
The Guardian also gathered that the troops’ patrols, which cleared the four camps, led to the killing of five terrorists, while others fled for their safety.
A counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed, yesterday, in Maiduguri that on arrival at Amburam, the troops had contact with the terrorists and engaged them with superior fire power.
He noted that this forced the terrorists to retreat into a canal in disarray with gunshot wounds.
A military source in Maiduguri also confirmed that five terrorists were neutralised in the operation, while others fled in a canoe towards the lake.
The source, however, noted that the ground troops could not take pictures of the neutralised terrorists, as they were disposed into the lake.
Makama noted that a soldier, who was wounded in the fierce encounter, had been evacuated to a military hospital in Maiduguri for treatment.
