Nigerian Army said troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Task Force Brigade on Friday, killed 10 Boko Haram terrorists while conducting fighting patrol operations at Muska village in Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to Army spokesperson, Col Sani Usman, the troops engaged them based on information received that Boko Haram terrorists elements earlier dislodged at Chukungudu and Hausari villages during a recent clearance operations, were migrating towards Muska village.
Usman said during the encounter, the troops killed 10 Boko Haram terrorists, captured 2 alive and rescued a woman with her baby that were held hostages by the terrorists.
The troops also recovered several equipment, arms and ammunition that include 6 AK-47 rifle magazines, 56 rounds of 7.62m (Special) rounds of ammunitions, 1 bundle of detonating cord, a Manual on how to prepare Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) 2 rifle magazine pouches, a Techno IPad, a Nokia mobile telephone handset and 1 Gionee mobile telephone handset. Others include 1 Digital Multimetre, 6 SIM cards, 3 Memory cards and 1 Airtel Modem containing memory card also. The troops also recovered a wristwatch, 2 Islamic books, an empty bag and 2 Motorcycles.
The captured terrorists are undergoing preliminary interrogation , while rescued woman and her child are receiving necessary attention pending onward movement to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Camp.
Similarly, another element of the Battalion also conducted another fighting patrol to Wumbi village based on received information on the presence of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in the area. The patrol team recovered 157 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and 37 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.
In a related development, troops of 22 Brigade Garrison intercepted 15 IDPs, all male adults, approaching Dikwa from Mudu Kasa village.
They revealed that some Boko Haram terrorists occasionally visit and terrorise their village and forcefully collect food and valuables. They further alleged that the terrorists came in numbers with some of them holding AK-47 rifles, while others wield machetes.
As part of the troops mandate of facilitating humanitarian assistance by both Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to the IDPs, troops also provided security to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) same day. The troops provided security to the ICRC’s contractors sinking 5 boreholes around Dikwa IDP camp.
Army assured that the troops would continue to provide the needed security to facilitate humanitarian assistance and activities in the area.
