MNJTF Troops Kill 26 ISWAP Fighters, Destroy Five Guntrucks in Lake Chad

Kingsley Nwezeh

The troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), weekend, eliminated 26 Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during an attack by terrorists in the North Lake Chad.
It was gathered that an unconfirmed number of terrorists had attempted to attack the fuel depot in Soudeye locality, located nearby to Borgogorou in Niger Republic on Saturday but were repelled by the Task Force, after more than one hour of heavy gunfire that inflicted  casualty on the terrorists.
Military sources in Lake Chad, said the task force had pushed back the terrorists before a combined MNJTF Air Task Force comprising Nigeria and Niger carried out multiple airstrikes, scoring accurate hits, which led to the destruction of three guntrucks and all its occupants.
The sources said the MNJTF Air Task Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft trailed the fleeing remnants of the insurgents and destroyed two additional guntrucks killing its occupants.
“We counted 26 bodies, there may be more, because some of the bodies were scattered all over the places. At first, they came in three guntrucks and we killed all of them and destroyed the three trucks. ISR patrol sighted additional two running away at night and destroyed them too,” said the source.
The source added that the government forces did not suffer any fatalities or casualties.
MNJTF Force Commander commended the Task Force for their doggedness as he also charged them to ensure total annihilation of the Boko Haram/ISWAP in the entire Lake Chad Region.
“We’re motivated and ready to keep killing them until they surrender unconditionally in the lake Chad Basin. We believe that remnants of them are the ones causing most of the problems inside Nigeria but they got inspiration here (Niger) and we must finish them off here that’s the directive from our service chiefs and we must obey,” the force commander said.
The security forces had intensified ground and aerial offensives in the Boko Haram/ISWAP strongholds in the Lake Chad Tumbus of Abadam and Marte under Operation Desert and Lake Sanity and pushed terrorists to seek refuge around the riverbanks between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
Some of the hideouts included Lumburam, Fiyoo, Lada and Jarwaram, located in riverbanks between Nigeria-Niger Republic, were used to coordinate attacks on Gaidam, Kannama, Buni Yadi and other part of the North-east.
Meanwhile, following in the foot steps of the Minister of Defence, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadi Kai (OPHK), Major General Waidi Shaibu, has urged religious organisations to continue to pray for troops to remain resilient and dogged in the discharge of their professional duties in the ongoing counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations in the North-east.
The GOC made the call when he received clergies of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri led by Most Reverend Dr. Oliver Dashe Doeme in his office.
While emphasising the negative effects of war, Shaibu mentioned the need for “a spiritual line of efforts” and prayers for troops by religious leaders and further thanked the team leader for their continuous spiritual support and making out time to visit the division.
Commending the GOC for the peace experienced within the division’s area of responsibility, Oliver, expressed optimism in the Division’s readiness and commitment in ending terrorism in the North-east, stating that, “terrorism in the region will soon be a thing of the past”.