Tobias Sylvester
The Nigerian Army says the Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) have eliminated 134 Boko Haram and Islamic States of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and arrested 16 informants in Borno State.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, a major general, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
He said 78 of those killed were members of ISWAP and 56 were Boko Haram members, adding that Nigerian troops arrested 16 informants of the fighters as the country aims to eradicate both armed groups from its territory.
Mr Enenche, who also disclosed that lots of ammunition was also seized during the operation, said that the success was recorded in the ongoing subsidiary operation in the North East Theatre of Operation code-named “Operation Kantana Jimlan.’’
He said the operation, being conducted as part of the conclusive phase of OPLD, was already recording monumental successes.
He said the operation is being conducted preparatory to the final routing of BHT/ISWAP criminals from the Nigerian territory by the troops of OPLD.
He said the operation was coordinated by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a lieutenant general, adding that it has intensified on various fronts especially within the Timbuktu triangle.
Mr Enenche added that the operation had left the criminal elements and their leadership in complete disarray and thus setting the conditions for the commencement of the final assault on their enclaves and hideouts.
“Several BHT/ISWAP targets were acquired and engaged with precision by Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments across the entire theatre thus delivering accurate fire on the criminals who were seen fleeing in disarray.
“In a coordinated artillery bombardment on Timbuktu triangle conducted on May 1 and 2, seven Boko Haram Gun Trucks were destroyed while 78 BHT/ISWAP fighters were killed as confirmed by both aerial and human intelligence.
“Within the same period, another successful artillery engagement to Buk in Damboa Local Government Area resulted in the neutralization of an additional 56 BHT criminals.
“Acting on intelligence that a large number of BHT members were converging at the location, the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments acquired and engaged the location with deadly precision, inflicting heavy casualties on them.
“As confirmed by our intelligence sources, only a handful of the terrorists escaped the location with gunshot wounds, with little chances of survival,” he said.
Mr Enenche further explained that 16 high profile Boko Haram informants fell into the troops’ dragnet within the last two weeks.
He said that the arrest of such high profile informants had significantly dislocated the terrorists’ information and supply chains and equally dislocated their communication.
He said as the gallant troops continue to overwhelm the criminal elements on all fronts, it is quite apparent that the days of the criminal elements called Boko Haram are indeed numbered.
“Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Buratai, who has been in the Theatre with the troops for the past five weeks congratulated the gallant troops for their resilience, courage and dedication to the noble cause of defending our fatherland against the criminal elements.
“He further urged them to remain focused and ruthless as they take the fight to the fleeing remnants of the enemies of our nation.
“The general public is hereby encouraged to provide credible information to our Troops as the Nigerian Military remains resolute in tackling the security challenges of the Country,” he said. (NAN)
KanyiDaily recalls that the Nigerian Army had claimed that Boko Haram is not a formidable force, boasting that it can defeat the insurgents in 15 minutes if they are provided the necessary logistics.
Maj. Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi said that the major factor that hinders the Nigerian army from defeating Boko Haram is the lack of an “army aviation”.
