Troops kill three Boko Haram insurgents, arrest one in Borno

• Military foils attack on Yobe village
• Shettima, Ndume, ACF commend Buhari on NEDC

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have announced the killing of three terrorists in six villages around Sambisa Forest.The spokesman of the military, Brig-Gen. Sani Usman, disclosed this yesterday in a statement in Maiduguri.

He said one of the terrorists was arrested, during a six-hour clearance operation on the eastern flank of Sambisa in Gwoza-Dure axis, adding that some of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

According to him, the troops engaged and smoked the terrorists out of their hideouts at Jango, Nduma, Gobara, Bala Ibrahim, Fulani Rogo and Takwala villages in Gwoza Local Council Area of the state.

Usman disclosed that the captured suspect had been taken into custody for further interrogation and onward passage to the relevant agencies.On arms, he said: “The troops also recovered one Fabrique Nationals (FN) rifle, a G3 rifle, charged magazines and a pair of camouflage uniform, suspected to be used by the terrorists to disguise as military personnel.”

He said a wounded soldier, had since been evacuated to the unit’s Regimental Aid Post for medical attention.Also, the spokesman of 3 Division of Nigerian Army, Col. Kayode Ogunsanya, disclosed that the military foiled an attack on Goniri village in Yobe State.

Ogunsanya, who made the disclosure in a statement in Damaturu yesterday, said the insurgents entered the village from the western flank of the forest, before they were repelled.

The foiled assault came three days after another attack on Sasawa village where eight soldiers were killed.Meanwhile, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has described the establishment of Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) as a “direct response to the large-scale devastation” caused by the insurgents in the area.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Communication and Media Strategy, Isa Umar Gusau, in Maiduguri, said the devastating effects of Boko Haram insurgents was such that no geo-political zone would wish to experience.

He said: “A comprehensive assessment report by the World Bank had put the damage at over $9 billion (N3.24 trillion).”He commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara for their leadership role in the passage of the bill.

The former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, added that the NEDC would address the “underdevelopment and humanitarian crises in the North-East sub-region.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said the signing of the bill was an indication that the president is humane and visionary.A statement by ACF spokesman, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, said Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi states had suffered heavy loss of lives and property due to the untoward activities by the terrorists.