Troops kill 47 Boko Haram fighters, capture 2 in Borno

The troops of Operations Hadin Kai (OPHK) in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have reportedly killed 47 terrorists, including top commanders of a splinter group of Boko Haram, in a battle.

 A source said this was a product of onslaughts launched by the troops in collaboration with Multinational JTF against the outlawed group in the Lake Chad and fringe of Sambisa forest in recent weeks.

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 The camp, which was renamed by the terrorists as Gazuwa or Markas and formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari harboured more than 3,000 fighters and their families from the Abubakar Shekau’s faction. 

 According to an intelligence report obtained by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad, the troops and the terrorists were locked in a gun battle which lasted for more than three hours

 He said two members of the CJTF lost their lives in the encounter.

 Another security source said the troops reinforced from the 21 Army Armoured Brigade, Bama, also dislodged the terrorists and destroyed their enclaves.

 “The troops destroyed over 700 makeshift houses and shelters of the terrorists and recovered several motorcycles and weapons from them.

 “They also arrested two terrorists alive. During their testimonies, they confessed that the camp was led by top commanders led by one Abu Ikilima. Three Khayds (governors), three Munzul (commanding officers), 1 Nakib (commander) of the Boko Haram as well as several other fighters were neutralised.

 “The terrorists confessed that other terrorists migrated from Mandara Mountain to join them after the killing of Ummate Ma, a terror king. The terrorists from this camp had coordinated many attacks in Banki, Konduga, and Maiduguri to Monguno Road.”

The source claimed that Gazuwa is now considered the strongest caliphate of the Boko Haram terrorist group, camping fighters who escaped the onslaught of the Nigerian military under Operation Desert Sanity I / II.