TheCable

The army says more than 20 insurgents were killed as troops attacked their camp in Lambua forest, Borno state on Sunday.

This comes three days after President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state, directing the military to deploy more operatives to secure farmland in the state.

Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, in a statement on Monday, said the troops captured weapons of the insurgents.

He said the operation was carried out based on credible intelligence, and that the insurgents were attacked through the air and the land.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the troops with close air support from the Nigerian Air Task Force component, carried out a simultaneous land and air offensive, penetrating deep into Lambua forest,” he said.

“The troops overran the position of the terrorists with heavy volume of fire from both land and air, killing more than 20 insurgents.

“The troops also captured heavy fire weapons and arms, including three anti-airrcraft guns, three AK 47 Rifles and two gun trucks, aside two other gun trucks that were destroyed by the troops.”

He said Faruk Yahaya, chief of army staff, congratulated the troops on the successful operation and asked them to sustain the ongoing offensive.