Nigerian troops have neutralized 35 Boko Haram terrorists and destroyed their camps during a clearance operation in the Sambisa forest of Borno State.
The operation was carried out by troops from the 21-Armoured Brigade, Operation Hadin Kai, and 199 Special Forces Battalion, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force.
According to a counter-insurgency expert, Brig-Gen. Victor Unachukwu led the troops on unprecedented incursions into the terrorists’ hideouts to completely eliminate them from the fringes of the forest.
During the three-day special operation, the troops cleared 12 communities in the forest of Bama Local Council and released some women held captive by the terrorists. The troops also recovered several motorcycles, AK-47 rifles, and an anti-aircraft gun.
Speaking on the operation, the expert disclosed that the troops made contact with the insurgents in the Ukuba forest community, killed seven of them, while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
They also killed two additional terrorists while clearing Garin Glucose, and recovered a truck and two units of 122 artillery guns from the forest. However, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force reportedly paid the supreme price during the operation.
Meanwhile, in Plateau State, no fewer than 30 persons lost their lives in attacks by gunmen in a village in Mangu Local Council. An investigation into the attacks revealed that the problem started when a Fulani native was allegedly killed and his kinsmen vowed to revenge.
Fighting with sophisticated weapons like AK-49 and explosives ensued till last Sunday, which led to the intervention of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), the police, and other security agents to quell the situation.
The crisis management mediation response council (CMMRC) disclosed that security operatives have taken over the situation.
