Troops rescue 5000 persons, kill 10 insurgents

Some of the people rescued from Boko Haram insurgents. PHOTO: NIGERIAN ARMY

Troops of the Nigeria military in collaboration with other security agencies and vigilante in the counter-insurgency operation in the Northeast rescued 5000 people held hostage by Boko Haram insurgents, even as they killed eight suspected members of the sect.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the Army Col. Sani Usman said, Troops of the 21 Brigade and Civilian JTF, while conducting a fighting patrol on Saturday in four Villages, they encountered the terrorists with the hostages, in the ensuing fight, six of the sect members were killed.
The statement named the villages as Zangebe, Maiwa, Algaiti and Mainari villages, saying several of the terrorists were wounded.

“The troops also liberated over 5,000 persons held hostages by Boko Haram terrorists and recovered 5 motorcycles and a similar number of bicycles”.‬ Also troops of 7 Division Garrison Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) II, in collaboration with some of “elements of Mobile Police Force and Civilian JTF today also conducted Boko Haram terrorist clearance operations. In 12 villages in Mafa Local government in Borno. State, where a civilian JTF was killed by the suspected terrorists.
The statement named the villages as “Masu Yiwa, Ladin Buta, Bazaka, Kesa Gala, Tabla, Fahinde, Shirori, Gizina, Maska Aribe, Maska and Maska Lawanti villages, all in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.‬
‪”During the clearance operations, the troops encountered Boko Haram terrorists at Maska Lawanti in which they killed 2 terrorists and recovered 2 motorcycles.‬
‪”Unfortunately, we lost 1 Civilian JTF, while a soldier and 1 Mobile Policeman were wounded in action. The body of the heroic Civilian JTF and the wounded soldier and his police counterpart have since been evacuated to Maiduguri.
“While we commiserate with the families of the departed Civilian JTF, we wish to state that the wounded are in stable condition and responding to treatment.”
The statement continued that troops of 192 Battalion, 26 Task Force Brigade and some vigilantes also went out on fighting patrol along Kusarha-Zalidava area on Saturday. “The patrol team encountered some elements of Boko Haram around Zalidava-Weige villages in which they killed 2 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with registration number FN 132125, a belt of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition containing 42 rounds.
“Sadly, one of the vigilantes sustained an injury on his eye. However, he is getting better”, it said.