Troops deployed in Borno State by the federal government under the state
of emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday have captured
17 towns and villages allegedly controlled by suspected members of the Boko
Haram sect.
The troops, which started arriving in the state on Tuesday night, it was learnt, headed straight for the communities where the insurgents allegedly removed the National Flag and installed theirs and engaged them in a series of gun battle.
The communities which were identified as hideouts which military sources had been taken over by the troops are New Marte, Kirenuwa, Zabamari, Zambiza Forest, Mafa, Baga, Bama, Banki, Woloji, Gulumba, Gamboru-Ngala, Damasak, Malam Fatori, Abadam, Gashigar, Kukawa, Monguno, among others.
Although top military personnel contacted were not forthcoming on the strength of the troops deployed in Borno, sources said it ranged from 4,000 to 10,000.
As soon as President Jonathan announced the emergency regime, apprehensive residents of the areas suspected to be Boko Haram havens started relocating to neighbouring towns and states.
It was learnt that soldiers had Tuesday night arrived in Maiduguri Air Force Base Terminal and were conveyed to the hideouts of the Boko Haram sect members.
Residents on the outskirts of Maiduguri said that they saw a truck-load of troops heading for Zambiza Forest, Mafa, New Marte, Kirenuwa, Kala Balge, Dikwa, Kukawa, Monguno, Damasak, Malam Fatori and Abadam border towns and villages.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman in Maiduguri, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, said that the troops were special squads from the Defence Headquarters on special assignment and have their separate officers who can speak on their mission in the state.
He said: The troops cannot expose their plans or strategies on how to flush out the insurgents from their hideouts. This is a security matter that cannot be disclosed to the media.
A senior military official, Brig-Gen. Olu Kolade, from Defence Headquarters, confirmed yesterday that the troops had cleared the Zambiza Forest while other camps were receiving similar treatment.
The actual number of causalities involved in the military expenditure could not be established. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said yesterday that at least 30 militants had been killed during air raids on their training camps in the north-east.
It said an army spokesman hinted that jets and helicopter gunships had been used to attack several camps, adding that a plane had been hit by anti-aircraft fire but had managed to return to base.
The troops, which started arriving in the state on Tuesday night, it was learnt, headed straight for the communities where the insurgents allegedly removed the National Flag and installed theirs and engaged them in a series of gun battle.
The communities which were identified as hideouts which military sources had been taken over by the troops are New Marte, Kirenuwa, Zabamari, Zambiza Forest, Mafa, Baga, Bama, Banki, Woloji, Gulumba, Gamboru-Ngala, Damasak, Malam Fatori, Abadam, Gashigar, Kukawa, Monguno, among others.
Although top military personnel contacted were not forthcoming on the strength of the troops deployed in Borno, sources said it ranged from 4,000 to 10,000.
As soon as President Jonathan announced the emergency regime, apprehensive residents of the areas suspected to be Boko Haram havens started relocating to neighbouring towns and states.
It was learnt that soldiers had Tuesday night arrived in Maiduguri Air Force Base Terminal and were conveyed to the hideouts of the Boko Haram sect members.
Residents on the outskirts of Maiduguri said that they saw a truck-load of troops heading for Zambiza Forest, Mafa, New Marte, Kirenuwa, Kala Balge, Dikwa, Kukawa, Monguno, Damasak, Malam Fatori and Abadam border towns and villages.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman in Maiduguri, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, said that the troops were special squads from the Defence Headquarters on special assignment and have their separate officers who can speak on their mission in the state.
He said: The troops cannot expose their plans or strategies on how to flush out the insurgents from their hideouts. This is a security matter that cannot be disclosed to the media.
A senior military official, Brig-Gen. Olu Kolade, from Defence Headquarters, confirmed yesterday that the troops had cleared the Zambiza Forest while other camps were receiving similar treatment.
The actual number of causalities involved in the military expenditure could not be established. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said yesterday that at least 30 militants had been killed during air raids on their training camps in the north-east.
It said an army spokesman hinted that jets and helicopter gunships had been used to attack several camps, adding that a plane had been hit by anti-aircraft fire but had managed to return to base.
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Politics
Pursue, arrest, kill and overtake as many as possible. Bloody idiots who derive pleasure in causing pain 2 fellow humans. A lot of kids are orphans, women widows, husbands widowers, others having one form of deformity or d other and communities deserted. Pls kill them without sympathy and make them pay 4 d injustice they have caused others and d Nation at large. God guide our Soldiers and our Nation.
ReplyDeleteThey commite all sort of atrocities and yet have evil men in the society praise them for their actions. JTF, pls comb all the nucks and crannies for them, smoke them out of their burrows that is what they deserved.
DeleteAfter boko haram next should be ameachi. Smoke him out.
ReplyDelete