By Goodluck B Ikiebe
Nigerian Army Troops in conjunction with hybrid force and element of Civilian Joint Task Force have successfully overrun Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Terrorists’ stronghold in Timbuktu triangle in the Lake Chad Region, recovering a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, gun truck mounted with an anti-aircraft gun and a cache of arms and ammunition, after a fierce battle with the insurgents.
During the operation conducted on Wednesday, insurgents attacked own troops with Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), Mortar, Gun trucks and motorbikes, but fell under the overwhelming superior fire power of the troops, forcing them to abandon their stronghold, armaments and equipment in disarray.
A statement by Defence Spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, says the operation proved to be a major setback to the insurgents, as the gallant troops neutralized three terrorists and recovered one MRAP, one gun truck, one Dushka Machine Gun, one AK 47 Rifle and one locally fabricated gun. Troops also captured one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Bomb, 273 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, one Pumping machine, 65 Dushka links, 48 General Purpose Machine Gun links and three motorbikes.
“The gallant troops are presently exploiting their success in pursuit of the routed insurgents”, it added.
In a separate operation, troops of the Nigerian Army conducted a fighting patrol to criminals’ hideouts in Katakpa Village inToto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. During the operation, troops neutralized one of the criminals and recovered two AK-47 Rifles, one Pump Action semi- automatic rifle, three AK-47 magazines and 90 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has commended the troops for the successful operations and charged them to remain resilient and sustain the momentum of the operations.
