Operation Crackdown: Troops Clear Njimia Camp in Sambisa Forest

• Kill 15 terrorists, free 41 hostages

By Senator Iroegbu

The troops of 7 Division, Nigerian Army, in continuation with the special clearance and rescue operations codenamed Operation Crackdown, within the Sambisa forest, have on Tuesday, cleared Boko Haram terrorists out of their Njimia camp within the forest.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement on Wednesday, said that while advancing earlier in the morning on the same day, the troops also cleared Boko Haram terrorists’ camps at Alafa, where they encountered heavy resistance from Boko Haram terrorists and killed 15 of them.

Usman said that the troops continued their advance through Alafa Main, Alafa Extension and Alafa Yaga-yaga, where they cleared remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating there before arriving at their main objective, Njimia.

Apart from destroying the camps, he said, the troops rescued 41 hostages who were mostly women and children.

“The troops also recovered two Dane Guns, several vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles belonging to the terrorists,” he stated.

According to the Army Spokesman, one significant aspect of this feat today was the combination of ground forces assault, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Jets provision for combat air support and monitoring of the operation directly by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu on board Air Force reconnaissance aircraft.

Usman also noted that no casualty was recorded by the troops through the conduct of this operation.