Military Starts "Specialized Campaign" Against Boko Haram

The Defence Headquarters said it has launched what it described as   specialised campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents.The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said this during a news  conference in Abuja on Thursday,   that the  campaign had  already taken off in  Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states  which are under emergency rule.

He explained  that   part of the arrangement  was  to pursue and  prevent the insurgents  from escaping from the country.

The Defence spokesman said that  terrorists fleeing towards Nigeria’s borders with Cameroun  had severely  attacked  some communities in desperation for food and money.

He said, “The purpose of this briefing is to intimate you with the elevation of counter terrorism campaign in the country. The new approach marks another phase in the operations designed to further contain the terrorists and their activities.

“The specialised campaign which has commenced is being undertaken simultaneously in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states. This operation is also in furtherance of efforts at apprehending the terrorists and ensuring they do not escape out of Nigeria as they are now desperate to do.

“Unfortunately, however, they have in the course of their flight towards various borders, continued to perpetrate mayhem as noticed in some parts of Adamawa State yesterday (Wednesday), where they attacked communities.

“In desperation for money and food, they looted and burnt banks, shops and filling stations along their way through Michika as they headed for  the Camerounian border.”

Olukolade said that three civilians and a soldier were killed in the attacks on the Adamawa communities  while six insurgents were gunned down and two captured alive.

He said that  the DHQ believed  that the insurgents who attacked   the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in Yobe State were the same people behind the Michika  onslaught.