(Counter Terrorism Campaign) – The Director of Defence Information of the Counter Terrorism Campaign, Chris Olukolade has revealed that troops on patrol during the weekend dislodged a band of terrorists who were about to attack some settlements in the outskirt of Bama and Ngurosoye.
He noted that about eighteen terrorists died in the encounter and sixteen were burnt, while AK 47 rifles were found in the debris with five Pickup vehicles, seven Gulf cars and one Hillux truck destroyed. “A total of seventy-five villagers were screened and released in the course of cordon and search in the adjoining communities. The purported bomb attack on a market in the vicinity as widely reported in the media is however yet to be verified,” he explained.
According to him, a total of sixteen AK47 rifles were recovered in the course of cordon and search on communities, whilst mop-up operations are still ongoing on the Mandara Mountains and Haraza Hills. He also disclosed that troops have eventually overran camps in the outskirts of Gombole, Mele, Kecheri, Dufrfada, Yuwe and other communities around the Mandara Mountains and the Sambisa Forests after stiff resistance.
Chris Olukolade added that many terrorists died in the encounter, while a soldier lost his life and five others were wounded. The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), he pointed out has stepped up patrols on the banks of Lake Chad as well as its surrounding communities in addition to air surveillance and patrols designed to smoke out the remnants of the terrorists. He further noted that air raids on some of the camps which were sited on Islands have also recorded successes in dislodging the terrorists located there.
“Cordon and search for terrorists have been focused on thorough screening of the villagers in surrounding communities. Many terrorists have been identified and subsequently apprehended by troops in the process,” he said.
The Director of Defence Information reported that troop’s morale and fighting spirit have remained noticeably high whilst some of the terrorists camps that have fallen to the forces in the ongoing counter terrorism campaign have been found deserted. Adding, food items earlier seized by terrorists from the villagers are often found stockpiled with electronics and power generators as the camps are swiftly razed by the troops.
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