Fierce battle leaves 15 Boko Haram terrorists dead in Borno

The Nigerian Army Troops of 242 Battalion in conjunction with elements of Sector 2 Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and Chadian Defence Forces (CDF) have overrun Boko Haram terrorists and killed 15 of them in Borno.


The Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.


Iliyasu said that the troops encountered the terrorists in an ambush at Jigalta Village on Thursday around Marari, 27 Kilometers from Monguno in Borno while on a joint clearance operation.


He said that the criminals laid an ambush with five gun trucks and unconfirmed number of insurgents.


According to him, 15 of the Boko Haram insurgents were neutralised while few of them escaped with gunshot wounds.


“In addition, two gun trucks were destroyed while another two were captured.


“Also, four Dutshka anti-aircraft guns, 9 AK 47 Rifles and a sizeable cache of ammunition were captured by the gallant troops.


“Unfortunately, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice during the cross fire that ensued while a Chadian soldier was also wounded in action,” he said.


Iliyasu said that the Commander of Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE/MNJTF, Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Biu, in company of other sector commanders visited the troops at the location of the encounter.


According to him, Biu commended the efforts of the troops and conveyed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s appreciation and commendation as well as the Force Commander MNJTF Maj.-Gen. Chikezie Ude’s words of encouragement to the troops.


“Additionally, the Commander Sector 2 MNJTF (CDF) Col. Bokhit Ali, expressed his satisfaction with the collaborative effort and renewed his commitment to fighting the menace of the ISWAP/Boko Haram criminals’ insurgency together,” he said.