Troops of Operation Fireball have killed three Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in different clearances they conducted in Borno State.

In a statement, yesterday, the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, indicated that the troops also rescued two women and three children kidnapped by the terrorists.

He recounted that, on November 17, 2020, troops of 251 Task Force Battalion deployed in Strong Response Area Molai while acting credible intelligence intercepted some Boko Haram criminals and relations of some kidnapped persons making efforts to pay a ransom of N2million to the terrorists.

“In a swift reaction, the gallant troops engaged the Boko Haram criminals forcing them to abort the collection of the payment as well as abandon their captives.

“In the aftermath of the decisive encounter, one Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist was neutralized while others escaped with gunshot wounds. One AK-47 rifle and one motorcycle were recovered.

“The victims, including two women and three children were all rescued unhurt”, he said.

In another development, Onyeuko noted that on November 17, 2020, troops of 151 and 202 Battalions conducted an aggressive fighting patrol to clear Boko Haram criminals’ hideout in the general area of Zaye Ngusa Village and other crossing points neutralised two terrorists.

“Similarly, on November 15, 2020, troops of 26 Task Force Brigade in Strong Response Area Pulka in a well coordinated ambush operation along Pulka – Sabon Gari – Kirawa road intercepted Boko Haram criminals’ logistics convoy.

“On sighting the terrorists, the troops engaged the criminals with gun fire forcing them to flee abandoning their consignments.

“Items recovered were: eight bicycles, several bags of grains, assorted packets of drugs and other food items”, he disclosed.

The Acting Director, however, commended troops of Operation Fireball for their resilience, gallantry and professionalism exhibited since the beginning of the operation, while also assuring the entire populace of the North-East region of Nigerian military high command determination to finally rout the remnants of BHT/ISWAP criminals from their enclaves in the zone.

Similarly, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations. Maj-Gen. John Enenche, has said that the Armed Forces were intensifying operations to track down and arrest those collaborating with bandits in parts of the country.

Enenche said that the military was devising and deploying new strategies daily to address insecurity, noting that once it was able to crack down on the collaborators, banditry would be curbed.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, during his weekly briefing, Enenche also disclosed that a number of collaborators had been arrested at different locations by troops, adding that three bandits’ accomplices were arrested in the North-West between November 12 and 18, 2020.

He noted that the bandits also suffered heavy casualties as several of them were killed while many others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

Enenche said, “Based on credible information that a suspected bandit was sighted at Kukar Samu village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, troops mobilised to the scene and arrested two suspected bandits’ collaborators named Nura Ibrahim and Abdullahi Yusuf while trying to escape with motorcycle belonging to bandits who fled on sighting troops.

“One Sabe Iliya from Muniya village in Safana LGA was also apprehended while pretending to be a farmer but was identified by locals as an informant,” Enenche added.

The CDMO further explained that a large cache of arms and ammunition and other items were captured by troops during the operations in the North-West while identified bandits’ camps were also destroyed.

Speaking on the activities of the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji and other subsidiary operations, Enenche said that they have sustained their operations aggressively with noticeable successes.

He disclosed that the troops within the period carried out series of clearance operations, ambushes and aerial patrols, adding that on November 15, troops of Operation Accord while on night patrol at Yar Tasha village engaged some bandits in a fire-fight.

“During the encounter, three bandits were neutralized while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Three AK-47 rifles were recovered during the operation.

“Same day, troops deployed at Ungwan Doka rescued one kidnapped victim named, Adamu Yahaya. Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was kidnapped at Unguwar Sa’ida village in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The victim has been reunited with his family,” the DHQ disclosed.