Troops Discover Boko Haram Sentries, Underground Food Storage

• Kill two terrorists, rescue two children

By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Nigeria military has uncovered Boko Haram’s observer posts, as well as a network of underground food storage facilities in Bama, Borno State.

The acting Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman,  in a statement yesterday, said the troops of 7 Division Strike Group Team B and 22 Task Force Brigade made the discovery on Saturday when they conducted a simultaneous dawn raid on suspected  terrorists hideouts at Biggoro, Warpaya and Aura, North  of Kumshe in Bama Local Government Area of the state

Usman said the essence of the operation was stop the reported criminal activities of remnants of Boko Haram hiding in the three villages.

This, he explained, became necessary as previous efforts were futile, adding that “the suspected terrorists kept coming in search for food, water and shelter.”

According to him, the surprisedawn attack yielded positive result as the troops discovered well concealed observation posts on trees in the villages constructed by the terrorists to give them early warning of troops movement or approach.

He said: “In addition,  the troops found out that the observation posts through tree tops, were constructed in such a manner with chairs and ropes to pull up foods and other needs by the sentry without necessarily coming down the trees.

“To also save for the rainy day, the terrorists had underground food storage facilities where they stocked large quantity of foodstuffs.”

The army spokesman said the troops killed two Boko Haram terrorists and also recovered three AK-47 rifles, magazines and ammunitions.

He revealed that the military also recovered two motorcycles from them. In addition, Usman said  they rescued two children from the terrorists.

Also,  the Nigerian military, has in the course of its ongoing clearance operations against the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east, discovered another large cache of arms in Borno State.

The Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Leo Irabor, disclosed at  a press briefing in Biu, Borno yesterday that the troops and some Civilian JTF, acting on a tip off yesterday went on a clearance patrol to Borgozo-Alargano general area in which they discovered large cache of arms and ammunitions concealed by the terrorists.

Irabor said the patrol team also cleared remnants of Boko Haram that were dislodged from  Alagarno forest hibernating at Kadari, Camp Abu Fatima and Gursum.

The troops, he said,  discovered large cache of arms and ammunitions that  include 36 boxes of .51mm  calibre, 5 x 20 Lyra beefcake mixture of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, large quantity of 7.62mm (Special), ammunition and one 81mm mortar tube.

He listed other items recovered by the troops to include a Toyota Hilux,  generator and several motorcycles.

The commander used the opportunity to “appeal to all Nigerians and in particular, the good people of Adamawa, Borno  and Yobe States to continue to provide useful information to troops in order to facilitate complete routing of the remnants of Boko Haram  insurgents hiding in their  localities.”