Army kills 20 insurgents, rescues 100 people

The Nigerian Army, yesterday said its troops had killed 20 Boko Haram insurgents in a clearance operation in the Lake Chad Basin.

Timothy Antigha, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri. Antigha said that the troops captured 17 insurgents, rescued 100 people, recovered vehicles and ammunition.

He said the six soldiers that sustained injuries in the operation were referred to military medical facility for treatment.

He said the operations were conducted in the past two weeks in islands in the Lake Chad region to crush Boko Haram insurgents inhabiting the islands.

“In continuation of Operation Deep Punch 2, designed to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists inhabiting remote islands in Lake Chad basin lying within Nigerian territory, troops of 8 Division, Nigerian Army, on Operation Lafiya Dole, supported by soldiers of the Armed Forces Strike Group, have inflicted heavy casualties on Boko Haram terrorists.

“The operation which commenced about two weeks ago preceded by coordinated air and artillery bombardments of islands and localities occupied by terrorists. The insurgents sneak into Magumeri, Kauram and other locations to loot property, attack security personnel and villagers.

“Islands and villages cleared so far include Arena Chiki, Chikun Gudu, Arena Waje, Sa’ada and Juwe.” He said.

Antigha disclosed that the rescued civilians included 100 elderly men, women and children.

He added that preliminary investigation revealed that most of the rescued persons were held hostage and forced to work in the farms.

The army spokesman listed the ammunition recovered to include one Mercedes Benz truck, two gun trucks, two pick up vans, one anti – aircraft machine gun, five AK-47 riffles, three Fabrique Nationals (FN) riffles, two G3 riffles and one pump action riffle.

Others are one rocket propelled grenade tube, two bombs, two very high frequency radios and one night vision goggle.