Troops kill 34 terrorists, rescue 455 hostages in Borno

• Soldiers discover stored B’Haram weapons
• Buhari seeks research on insurgency

Troops of 103, 121Battalion and Task Force Battalion of Nigerian Army at the weekend killed 34 Boko Haram terrorists while repelling the insurgents’ attack on Pulka in Borno State.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Army has disclosed the recovery of large cache of arms buried in the hinterlands of Borno State at a spot made to look like a graveyard.

The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Leo Irabor, said but for the vigilance of soldiers, the grave, which concealed a cache of high calibre ammunition, worth over N20 million, would have remained unnoticed. According to him, the quantum of ammunition recovered is capable of deflating the morale of a full battalion if it remains in the hands of a capable enemy.

Gen. Irabor, who spoke to journalists in Biu, Southern Borno State during an ongoing tour of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, said the discovery was made three days ago when his men received some hint regarding the activities of Boko Haram terrorists before they fled from Alagarno.

In a related development, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) to unearth the genesis of Boko Haram insurgency by conducting research to arrest the tendencies of militants to destroy more lives and property in the North-East.

The terrorists, according to military authorities, burst out from the Sambisa Forest, before attacking soldiers of 121 Task Force Battalion stationed at Pulka, a border village with Cameroon.

Acting Director Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in a statement, said besides repelling the hoodlums, the troops rescued 455 persons and escorted them to the Gambouru Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.

The statement reads in part: “The ever alert and vigilant troops rose
to the occasion and successfully repelled the attack. They killed seven Boko Haram terrorists, wounded several others and recovered three AK47 rifles, magazine and 92 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) belt ammunition.”

Usman further disclosed: “In a related development, troops of 3 Battalion caught a suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ spy near the Battalion Headquarters at Gambouru/Ngala. On interrogation, he confessed that he was sent to spy on the troops from Wulge.

“Consequently, the troops organized a fighting patrol comprising elements of Army Headquarters Strike Group and Civilian JTF to Wulge and Walamari. They had encounter with Boko Haram terrorists in which they killed 27 of them, recovered five motorcycles and eight bicycles. They also cleared 12 terrorists’ camps and recovered an AK 47 rifle as well as a dane gun.

“Similarly, troops of 103 Battalion this evening ambushed Boko Haram terrorists at Mairimri village crossing point in which they killed quite a number of terrorists, recovered 15 bicycles and food stuff.”

Buhari gave the research charge to the university on Saturday, while delivering his speech at the institution’s 22nd combined convocation ceremony in Maiduguri.

His words: “My administration appreciates and commends the University of Maiduguri council, management staff for sustaining the momentum during the trying periods of Boko Haram insurgency in North-East and the country at large.”