Troops of Nigerian in conjunction with hybrid force elements, have successfully neutralised eight Boko Haram (BHT)/ISWAP terrorists at Ukuba; a notorious terrorists’ enclave in Sambisa forest.
Director Army Public Relations, Maj-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement issued Monday said the operation, which took place on Sunday 10 March 2024, witnessed a fierce gun battle that inflicted severe losses on the terrorists’ group, compelling them to retreat and abandon their camp in disarray.
He said a thorough search of the captured camp by the gallant troops led to the recovery of five locally fabricated double barrel guns, two motorbikes and assorted foodstuff, belonging to the terrorists.
Nwachukwu noted: “In a separate Clearance operation on the same day in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, troops cleared Dan Birgima, Ungwan Noma, Katoge, and Pauwa Villages.
“During the operation, troops gunned down 2 insurgents in combat and recovered 3 AK-47 Rifles, 8 Magazines, 57 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 3 Baofeng Radio sets, 12 Baofeng Radio Chargers and one Bandolier.
“The troops also rescued a civilian, who had been in captivity of the insurgents for days. Two Motorbikes and makeshift structures in the insurgents’ camp were also destroyed by the troops.”
Nwachukwu stressed that in the same vein, troops have cleared Dandalla, Madada, Dogon Karfe, Hayi, Gobirawan and Kango Kuyambana villages in Gusau and Maru Local Government Areas of Zamfara state.
He explained that in the encounter with the insurgents, troops neutralised two of them and recovered one AK- 47 rifle, three fabricated guns, two rounds of Anti- Aircraft ammunition, one Motorbike and two Solar panels.
Nwachukwu noted that in South Eastern Nigeria, troops on Sunday 10 March 2024 successfully raided and destroyed IPOB/ ESN Fighters’ Fire arms production factory located between Ekoli Edda and Amagwu Ohafia communities in Abia and Eboyin States respectively.
He stressed that the dissidents’ camp, which was used for fabricating fire arms and production of ammunition, was fortified with fire trenches/sand bag parapets and powered with a 15 KVA Generator.
He added that the vigilant troops recovered two fabricated AK-47 rifles, one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) bomb, 2 IPOB/ESN flags, as well as Welding and Filing machines from the factory.