Sixteen insurgents along with eight of their spouses have surrendered following the heat from the sustained onslaught by troops of Sector 1, Multinational Joint Task Force at Fotokol.
The surrender comes after increased raids, clearance patrols, sting operations, cordon & search operations as well as mortar and artillery bombardment of identified criminal insurgents and bandits’ hideouts within the past one week which equally neutralised dozens of insurgents.
In a statement, Media Coordinator of the Nigerian Army Operations Centre Col Aminu Iliyasu said several Boko Haram Logistics Suppliers and informants have been intercepted and arrested by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE as well as the arrest or neutralisation of some bandits and other criminal elements in the North West and other parts of the nation.
“On 1st November 2019 for instance, Subsequently, the surrendered insurgents were later handed over to troops of 3 Battalion (Main) at Gamboru Ngala, a border town NE of Borno State.
“During preliminary interrogation and profiling, they confessed to have actively participated in attacks conducted against both military and civilian targets at various times.” He added.
Col Iliyasu further revealed that 14 of them whose names are Ibrahim Bunu, Abba Sale, Baba Lamba Alhaji, Bukar Isa, Bukar Ali, Rawa Abba Gana, Mustapha Abatcha, Umar Abubakar, Hassan Bukar, Malam Abatcha Ali, Abba Umar Abatcha, Hussaini Babagana, Idris Mohammed and Umar Abba Bayoma all belonged to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) led by Al – Barnawi while the remaining 2, Hassan Kawu and Babagana Bukar Adijabe belonged to Boko Haram (Abubakar Shekau Faction).
“The repentant insurgents however, regretted their participation in the heinous crimes they committed against humanity and are now calling on their former colleagues to retrace their steps and also surrender to troops before it is too late.” He added
In another development, troops deployed at Gajigana in Magumeri LGA of Borno State intercepted some Boko Haram criminals in the early hours of Tuesday 5th November 2019.
It is believed that the insurgents were on their way to attack the community to source for food items and other logistics for their survival. However, the vigilant troops blocked and neutralised 3 of the Boko Haram criminals while several others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
Unfortunately, one soldier paid the supreme price while 2 others were wounded in action. The wounded soldiers are currently responding to treatment in a military medical facility.
Additionally, the troops captured 2 AK 47 Rifles, one Rocket Propelled Gun 7 (RPG 7), 5 AK 47 magazines, 47 Rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and some quantities of hard drugs during exploitation. In a related incident, another Boko Haram criminal met his waterloo on 4th November 2019 while attempting to cross into the Sambisa Forest at Bama – Banki Road Junction when own tps sighted and neutralized him.
Similarly, troops of 195 Battalion, while on clearance patrol along Gubio Road on 4th November 2019 recovered a kit bag containing 480 Rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition suspected to have been abandoned by escaping terrorists. In another encounter with the Boko Haram criminals on 6 November 2019 at Muchima in Damboa LGA of Borno State, 9 Boko Haram insurgents were neutralized by troops while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Additionally, one insurgent Gun Truck was destroyed, 4 AK 47 Rifles and a cache of ammunition were recovered. Similarly, troops of Sector 2 deployed at Damaturu, Yobe State dealt a decisive blow to the insurgents’ attempt to infiltrate the town on 7 November 2019.
The attempted infiltration was thwarted by the combined efforts of ground troops, artillery bombardment and precision air strikes by the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. The encounter led to the decimation of a number of the insurgents in addition to the destruction of one Boko Haram Gun Truck. Unfortunately, one Officer paid the supreme price during the encounter.
Furthermore, during their exploitation, troops discovered and safely detonated 2 Unexploded Ordnance materials planted by the insurgents as well as the charred remains of some of the terrorists that were hurriedly buried by the criminal insurgents while withdrawing in disarray following the superior firepower of our troops.
