Troops of the 21-Armoured Brigade, Bama, of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) and 199 Special Forces Battalion in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have killed 35 Boko Haram terrorists in the ongoing clearance operation in Sambisa Forest.
The troops headed by Brig. Gen. Victor Unachukwu a.k.a Emperor, made the unprecedented incursions into the Boko Haram hideouts in its determined efforts to completely eliminate the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating along the fringes of the Sambisa forest.
According to intelligence report obtained by Zagazola Makama, a counter insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region which was made available to LEADERSHIP, the clearance operation which began from Awulari on April 17, progressed further into other identified insurgents’ camps around Garno and Alafa.
He said the troops stormed and cleared Izzah and Farisu on April 19, where the troops ferociously engaged dozens of the resisting terrorists in a heavy gun battle.
The troops overpowered the terrorists after about 30 minutes of gun battle, killing 18 of them and recovered several motorcycles, AK 47 rifles and an Anti-Air Craft gun.
According to him, one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), unfortunately paid the supreme price during the encounter.
The troops further moved to Farisu where they eliminated an additional 8 terrorists. In Alafa, three terrorists were killed, including one commander, simply identified as ‘Salafi’, while two motorcycles were recovered.
On April 20, in Ukuba, the ground troops made contact with another set of the insurgents, killing seven, while others escaped with bullet wounds. The troops recovered one truck and two 122 artillery guns.
The gallant troops moved further to clear Garin Glucose where they neutrialised additional two terrorists while other terrorists hastily withdrew and avoided making contact with the approaching troops.
At the end of the three-day special operations, the troops cleared terrorists’ hideouts in Garno, Alafa, Alafa D, Garin Doctor, Njumia, Izzah, Farisu, Somalia, Ukuba, Garin Glucose, Garin Ba’aba, Bula Abu Amir, communities in Bama local government area in Borno State.
In the course of the operation, some women who were held captive by the insurgents were rescued.
In Zamfara State, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said troops have killed seven terrorists and destroyed seven motorcycles.
The director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, in a statement he issued yesterday, said troops of “Operation Hadarin Daji” on April 22, 2023 conducted clearance operations to Birnin Tsaba, Tsanu, Lamba, Gabas, Gidan Kaso, and Dumburum Forest in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State where they made contact with terrorists.
He said in the firefight that ensued, troops neutralised seven terrorists, destroyed several bandits camps and seven motorcycles.
The troops also recovered two empty AK 47 magazines and one Baofeng radio.
He said the troops who arrested a terrorist’s informant on April 21, 2023, in a follow up operation arrested two terrorists on 22 April 2023 at Shinkafi Town, Shinkafi local government area in Zamfara State.
Items recovered from suspects include one motorcycle and three mobile phones.
The military high command commends troops of “Operation Hadarin Daji” and encourages the general public to avail troops with credible and timely information on criminal activities.
