50 insurgents killed in ambush
Maiduguri The military had a good outing last weekend in Borno State when soldiers killed at least 50 Boko Haram insurgents in fire fight.
In a statement, Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris
Olukolade, said yesterday that troops on counter-insurgency operation
in southeastern part of the state last weekend engaged suspected Boko
Haram members in a gun duel at Bilta in Gwoza Local Government, killing
at least 50. He said the insurgents were were preparing to attack some
communities in the area.
“Troops conducting anti-terror campaign in the North-East have successfully averted attempted massive raids on villages in Borno and Adamawa states during the weekend. The terrorists who were on their way to attack selected communities were ambushed by troops along Bilta, Borno State on receiving intelligence report of the terrorists’ intention.
“The attack was launched on the terrorists as they filed out of the forest to embark on their mission at about 10pm on Saturday. Over 50 terrorists died in the fierce encounter that ensued,” he said.
Some of the items recovered, according to Defence spokesman, were 30 rifles, 36 hand grenades, seven machine guns and 11 Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) tubes. Others include over 3,500 rounds of ammunition, six smoke grenade canisters and locally-fabricated guns as well as four vehicles meant to be been by the terrorists in the foiled attack. He said four soldiers who were wounded in the battle are already receiving medical treatment.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports claimed 20 women were kidnapped by Boko Haram at Garke Fulani, a remote village near Chibok where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted on April 14, though residents of Chibok maintained they are unaware of the incident.
“I don’t think any woman was kidnapped. The news is strange to us, I don’t think it is true, Maina Bulama, a resident told Daily Sun. A source, who did not want his name in print after contacting the vigilance groups, most of the communities in the area said, “there was no report of kidnap.”
Another source also said the kidnap story which reportedly occurred last Thursday may be true. “Garke Fulani is a small settlement occupied mostly by Fulani who are nomads. It is possible that their husbands fled and left the wives in the hands of the attackers but we are yet to ascertain if it actually happened,” the source said.
The Chairman of Chibok Local Government, Mr Ba’ana Lawan, could not be reached as his phone was switched off. The Commissioner of Police, Lawan Tanko, also said he was not aware of it. “If anything of such happened, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area will inform me. I speak with my officers on the field regularly to know what is happening and I haven’t heard such report from them,” the CP said.
Another report also claimed an attack occurred at Dikwa in the central part of the state yesterday. A source in the town, however, said on the contrary, it was a fire outbreak at the local government secretariat.
“Troops conducting anti-terror campaign in the North-East have successfully averted attempted massive raids on villages in Borno and Adamawa states during the weekend. The terrorists who were on their way to attack selected communities were ambushed by troops along Bilta, Borno State on receiving intelligence report of the terrorists’ intention.
“The attack was launched on the terrorists as they filed out of the forest to embark on their mission at about 10pm on Saturday. Over 50 terrorists died in the fierce encounter that ensued,” he said.
Some of the items recovered, according to Defence spokesman, were 30 rifles, 36 hand grenades, seven machine guns and 11 Rocket Propelled grenade (RPG) tubes. Others include over 3,500 rounds of ammunition, six smoke grenade canisters and locally-fabricated guns as well as four vehicles meant to be been by the terrorists in the foiled attack. He said four soldiers who were wounded in the battle are already receiving medical treatment.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports claimed 20 women were kidnapped by Boko Haram at Garke Fulani, a remote village near Chibok where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted on April 14, though residents of Chibok maintained they are unaware of the incident.
“I don’t think any woman was kidnapped. The news is strange to us, I don’t think it is true, Maina Bulama, a resident told Daily Sun. A source, who did not want his name in print after contacting the vigilance groups, most of the communities in the area said, “there was no report of kidnap.”
Another source also said the kidnap story which reportedly occurred last Thursday may be true. “Garke Fulani is a small settlement occupied mostly by Fulani who are nomads. It is possible that their husbands fled and left the wives in the hands of the attackers but we are yet to ascertain if it actually happened,” the source said.
The Chairman of Chibok Local Government, Mr Ba’ana Lawan, could not be reached as his phone was switched off. The Commissioner of Police, Lawan Tanko, also said he was not aware of it. “If anything of such happened, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area will inform me. I speak with my officers on the field regularly to know what is happening and I haven’t heard such report from them,” the CP said.
Another report also claimed an attack occurred at Dikwa in the central part of the state yesterday. A source in the town, however, said on the contrary, it was a fire outbreak at the local government secretariat.
