Troops clear Boko Haram insurgents at Lake Chad fringes, rescue 85

TROOPS of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Operation Lafiya Dole, led by the General Officer Commanding of the Division, Brigadier-General Victor Ezugwu, have conducted a decisive clearance operation on the remnants of Boko Haram strategic hub town of  Chukungudu on the southern fringes of the Lake Chad Region, northern part of Borno State, at the weekend.

The troops also rescued 85 people comprising mostly women and children held hostage by insurgents.

The maneuvering Brigade led by the 3 Battalion of 22 Brigade, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, had successfully cleared Geram, Bulankassa and Chukungudu, believed to be Boko Haram terrorists’ strongholds.

They also killed five Boko Haram terrorist fighters in a fierce encounter that compelled several of the terrorists to escape into the Lake Chad waters.

The troops the Nigerian Tribune learnt, also recovered four rounds of Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) bombs, one Double Barrel Gun, 349 packets containing various rounds of ammunition, three magazines, a link belt of machine gun ammunition and one AK-47 rifle magazine.

During the clearance operations, according to our source, the troops made spectacular discovery of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) factory at Geram, where they found several primed suicide bombers’ vests, as well as well-equipped motor vehicles and motorcycles workshop, and spare parts at Chukungudu Village.

It was learnt that the troops recovered three vehicles and several newly acquired motorcycles.

Sani Usman the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, who confirmed this, said a soldier died during the encounter.

Meanwhile, in continuation of the ongoing clearance operation against Boko Haram terrorists, troops of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Nigerian Army have embarked on a joint operation code-named “Operation Karya Gwuiwa.”

The formation, it was gathered, had carried out clearance operations on suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideouts at Ajigin, Golgore, Njibulla, Doksa 1, 2 and 3 villages located at  the southern part of Borno State.

During the operation, according to our source, the formation killed 37 Boko Haram terrorists at Ajigin and recovered three AK-47 rifles, but a vigilante group member lost his life while five soldiers were wounded during the clearance operation.

The remains of the late vigilante and the wounded soldiers, it was learnt, had been evacuated.