The troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force have reportedly killed 47 terrorists including top Commanders of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, Boko Haram faction.
Sources said the combined troops, supported by the 21 Army Armoured Brigade Bama, stormed one of the deadliest camps of the insurgents in Gazuwa village in Bama Local Government Area on June 12, 2022.
The camps, which was renamed by the terrorists as “Gazuwa or Markas” (Headquarters), and formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari, haboured more than 3000 fighters and their families from the Abubakar Shekau Faction.
A counter insurgency and security analyst with vast experience in Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama, who confirmed the operations, noted that troops made contact with Boko Haram/ISWAP elements in the general area and engaged them in a fierce gun battle which lasted for some hours.
Read Also:
- Viral Video: Acting Army Chief, Lt. Gen Oluyede Orders Investigation of Brutalization of Nigerian by Soldiers
- Marwa Tasks Elites to Join Crusade Against Substance Abuse, Drug Trafficking; Says 52 Barons including Socialites, Title holders Nabbed in 3 years
- Oil Theft: Navy Destroys 23 Illegal Refinery Sites,26 Reservoirs 30 Ovens; Says Operations Boosted Increase in Crude Oil Production to 1.8milliin BPD
The source said the troops had met some resistance from the terrorists as they stormed out in their hundreds with Motorcycles and various calibre of weapons with which they responded from different angles, but the troops engaged them in a swift battle killing 47 of them and forcing others to flee.
The source added that two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed during the encounter.
In a similar vein, troops on Monday June 13, 2022 who were reinforced from the 21 Army Armoured Brigade Bama destroyed over 700 mikeshift houses and shelters of the terrorists and recovered several Motorcycles and weapons from them.
Their complimentary efforts led to the dislodging and destruction of the terrorists enclaves.
Intelligence sources disclosed that the unrelenting troops pursued hem to their hideouts and arrested two of the Terrorists alive.
During their testimonies, they confessed that the camp was led by Top Commanders led by one Abu Ikilima among which 3 Khayds (Governors), 3 Munzul (Commanding Officer), 1 Nakib (Commander) of the Boko Haram as well as several other fighters were neutrialised.
The Captured terrorists disclosed that funeral prayers was held for the Mujahedeens and afterwards buried in Shallow graves.
The Gazuwa is now considered as the strongest caliphate of the Boko Haram terrorists group, camping fighters who escaped onslaught of the Nigerian Military under the Operation Desert Sanity I and II while others were dislodged from its rival faction the Islamic State of the West African Province(ISWAP), in a rivalry clash.
Other terrorists migrated from Mandara Mountain to join them after the killing of Unmste Ma, a terror king.
It would be recalled that terrorists from this camp had coordinated many attacks in Banki, Konduga, and Maiduguri to Monguno road.