TheCable

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in Borno have killed five Boko Haram insurgents and captured a top commander of the group in the ongoing operation in Sambisa forest and the Lake Chad basin.

Onyeama Nwachukwu, deputy director, army public relations of the operation, in a statement, said the troops also rescued three civilians and recovered vehicles and high calibre ammunition in the past two days.

A G-III rifle magazine, one life jacket, a light machine gun metal link, four rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition, four rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and three rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were among the recovered items.

According to him, the troops neutralised a number of fleeing insurgents who were attempting to escape the military blocking position in Sabil-Huda, one of the cleared enclaves in Sambisa.

He said “unfortunately, two soldiers were injured in the process”, adding that they had been evacuated by the Nigerian air force and are responding to treatment.

Nwachukwu said the troops, on Friday, launched targeted a terrorist’s hideouts up camp Zairo and neutralized a number of insurgents.

He said troops of 151 battalion in conjunction with 7 division support group, had also cleared nine terrorists’ hideouts along Frigi-Izza area.

He added that the troops also recovered one motorcycle, two bicycles, 10 bicycle tyres, one bicycle, three Boko Haram flags, a solar panel, five drums filled with grain, two mattresses, two grinding machines, three bags of metal scraps, two motorcycle tyres and two underground grain silos.

Also recovered are one AK-47 rifle magazine, a dummy rifle, a round of 12.7mm ammunition, 12 empty cases of 7.62mm ammunition, assorted IED materials and a tool box.