DHQ: 52 Terrorists, Several Others Neutralised By Troops, NAF Air Raids
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that 52 terrorists had been neutralized in several encounters with troops during the Yuletide.
The Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj-Gen. Musa Danmadami, who made the disclosure during the biweekly briefing on Thursday, said the raids occurred between December 22, 2022 and January 12, 2023.
Danmadami informed that the causalities were an unspecified number of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, who were killed in air raids by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets targeting terrorists’ enclaves in parts of North East, North West and North Central.
Also, 377 terrorists, including their families, surrendered to troops during the encounters.
He said, the activities were conducted in villages, forests, mountains, towns and cities of Bama, Gwoza, Konduga, Mafa, Monguno, Biu, Kukawa, Damboa, Ngala, Nganzai, Tarmuwa and Magumeri local councils, as well as Maiduguri, the metropolitan city of Borno.
Other locations he said, where operations were also conducted included Nguru, Karasuwa and Gujba local councils of Yobe State, as well as Madagali and Song local councils of Adamawa State in the North East.
The DHQ further revealed that between December 23 and 30, 2022, troops on fighting patrol ambushed Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists at different locations within the theatre of operation.
In the encounter at Kwatara village in Gwoza, 5 terrorists were neutralized by troops, while their administrative head at Guduf, identified as Umate Usman, was captured with gunshot wounds. Weapons recovered include 1 AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 10 rounds of locally fabricated 7.62mm special, 10 refilled ammo, and two hand grenades among other items.
Equally, troops made contact with terrorists along Gamboru-Logomani in Ngala and neutralized three terrorists, while others fled with gunshot wounds. Troops exploited the area and recovered two AK-47 rifles, one FN rifle, one RPG tube and bomb, 94 rounds of 7.62mm belted NATO, 66 rounds of 7.62mm special, 30 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition and six motorcycles.
Danmadami said that following an encounter with terrorists at Bulge Village in Konduga, troops neutralized four terrorists, while others fled. Troops recovered 2 PKT machine guns, 2 FN rifles, 15 rounds of 7.62mm NATO and a belt link containing 60 rounds of 7.62x51mm ammunition.
The air component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) conducted series of air interdictions at terrorists’ hideouts, enclaves and camps at Suwa, Arina Woje and Amchile in Marte.
Danmadami said a good number of terrorists, who relocated to the area following recent flooding of the Tunbuns in the Lake, and the current infighting between the terrorists’ factions were targets in the raid.
