Military Regains 25 Out Of 27 LGAs In Borno

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Twenty-five of the 27 local government areas of Borno State controlled by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, have been reclaimed by the Special Forces deployed to restore order in the state as well as Adamawa and Yobe under the state of emergency in parts of the Northeast.

Operations are intensifying in the remaining two local government areas – Magumeri and Gwoza- to flush out the insurgents, it was gathered yesterday in Abuja.

The sect members are said to have bases in Gwoza hills.

A reliable source said the Special Operation against the insurgents has recorded a huge success.

However, the claim could not be independently confirmed.

The source said: “The Special Forces have chased away the Boko Haram insurgents from 25 out of 27 Local Government Areas in Borno State. So, the troops have secured a substantial part of the state. We have also restored people’s confidence in the system.

“The final battle is focused on Magumeri and Gwoza LGAs in the state, especially within the hilly terrain in Gwoza. It is a question of weeks before we rout out the insurgents in these hilly areas.

“The challenge in Gwoza is informed by the fact that some locals are cooperating with the Boko Haram sect but this will be a thing of the past soon. They have brainwashed some of the locals that they are fighting a cause to Islamise Nigeria. These locals in Gwoza have bought into this idea of Islamising the country but the situation is changing in the past two weeks.”

But a military source said: “I don’t think it is appropriate to say that we have regained the control of some LGAs from Boko Haram because they were never in control. Do not glorify the insurgents as if they had ever taken control of a part of Nigeria. We have addressed the insurgency; we have substantially chased away Boko Haram members from Borno State.

“The mandate of the Special Forces involves asserting the territorial integrity of Nigeria and they have done very well in the three states under emergency rule. We have some remnants still lurking around some hilly places but we will deal with them. Everywhere is just being combed now to finally chase them out.”