Troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army, Operation Lafiya Dole, led by the General Officer Commanding of the Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu, conducted a decisive clearance operation into the remnants of Boko Haram strategic hub town of Chukungudu on the southern fringes of the Lake Chad Region, northern parts of Borno State at the weekend.
The manoeuvring brigade led by 3 Battalion of 22 Brigade, successfully cleared Geram, Bulankassa and Chukungudu believed to be the Boko Haram terrorists’ stronghold in that area.
The troops rescued 85 people, comprising of mostly women and children held hostage by insurgents.
They also killed five Boko Haram terrorists fighters in a fierce encounter that made several of the terrorists run into the Lake Chad waters.
The troops recovered four rounds of rocket propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, one double barrel gun, 349 packets containing various rounds of ammunitions, three magazines, a link belt of machine gun ammunition and one AK-47 rifle magazine.
During the clearance operations, the troops made spectacular discovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) making factory at Geram.
In the factory, they found several already primed suicide bombers’ vests and discovered a well-equipped motor vehicles and motorcycles’ workshop and spare parts at Chukungudu village.
‎The troops recovered three vehicles and several newly acquired motorcycles.
Sani Usman, who is Acting Director, army public relations and who confirmed this, said a soldier died during the encounter.
Meanwhile, in continuation of the ongoing clearance operation against Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 27 Task Force Brigade, Nigerian Army have embarked on a joint operation nicknamed “Operation Karya Gwuiwa.”
In line with that, the formation carried out clearance operations on suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideouts at Ajigin, Golgore, Njibulla, Doksa 1, 2 and 3 villages located at southern parts of Borno State.
During the operation, they killed 37 Boko Haram terrorists at Ajigin and recovered three AK-47 rifles.
Unfortunately, a vigilante group member lost his life while five soldiers were wounded during the clearance operation. The corpses of the late vigilante and the wounded soldier have been evacuated.
The troops also captured one Boko Haram terrorist named Musa Jubril and one female believed to be sex slave in captivity by the sects and recovered eight motorcycles, stored raw foodstuffs and beddings.
The troops continued with the clearance operation and also maintained blocking positions to further kill any fleeing Boko Haram terrorists.‎