Troops kill 31 terrorists, arrest 70 in North-East clean up

The Defence Headquarters on Thursday said troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have killed no fewer than 31 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and arrested 70 of them and their co-conspirators.

The Director, of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-General Musa Danmadami said in Abuja at the bi-weekly briefing on the operations of the armed forces that the breakthrough was recorded in the last two weeks.

He added that out of the 70 arrested in the Northeast, 60 of them were terrorists’ logistics suppliers conveying grains, ammunition, and fuel among others.

The DMO director said the troops also rescued two civilian hostages while a total of 366 terrorists and their families surrendered during the period.

He said that troops had on October 11, outmanoeuvred terrorists’ ambush in Bama and Ngala areas of Borno leading to the killing of 18 terrorists and recovery of a cache of arms. According to him, troops countered the terrorists and forced them to flee in disarray.

He said that 17 terrorists were neutralised while one GPMG, five AK-47 riffles, one M21 rifle and 11 motorcycles were recovered.

“Cumulatively, within the weeks in focus, troops recovered 14 AK47 rifles, two GPMG, one M21 rifle, one 125mm artillery bomb, 40 rounds of 7.62mm special, six Dane guns, one locally made gun, one vehicle, four mobile phones, five bicycles and 11 motorcycles.

“Also recovered are 64 bags of beans, five bags of maize, and large quantities of substance suspected to be cannabis Sativa. Medical supplies, assorted clothing materials, 46 livestock, the sum of N250,000 and other sundry items,” he said.