The Nigerian Army said its soldiers on counter-insurgency operations in the North East have killed two members of the Islamic State West Africa Province/Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe State.
The terrorists met their end while trying to infiltrate the Babangida community in Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who made the disclosure, said that the terrorists, who now indulge in pillaging activities to replenish their dwindling logistics, owing to the logistics blockade imposed on them, were detected by troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, who engaged them in a heavy shootout.
Also, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with other security agencies, have eliminated scores of Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits in Sokoto State, the Defence Headquarters said, yesterday, in Abuja.
The Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Benjamin Sawyer, in a statement, yesterday, said the terrorists were eliminated during a foiled attack on the Forward Operation Base (FOB), at Burkusuma, a remote border settlement with the Niger Republic in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
“The aggressive operations of troops of the FOB as witnessed in recent months in the North West region, had been a thorn in the flesh of ISWAP terrorists and bandits.”
Sawyer stated that the attackers, who came in large numbers, using telecom networks provided from neighbouring countries, capitalised on the lean rear area protection force.
“This was when the main troops were out conducting offensive operations within their area of responsibility.”
He disclosed that the troops recorded an undisclosed number of casualties during the encounter.
“However, the swift reinforcement by our troops helped to counter the attack as many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated, while some scrambled with various degrees of injuries.
“Troops are currently in hot pursuit of the criminals to Bassira in the Niger Republic,”
he said.
Meanwhile, Nigerian and Nigerien forces, in a collaborative operation, are currently trailing the remaining ISWAP fighters.
“General security within the FOB and its environs has been stabilised,”
he added.
