Nigerian soldiers ‘kill 300 Boko Haram militants’

Chris Olukolade, a major-general and director of defence information, says Nigerian soldiers have killed 300 Boko Haram militants.

The Nigerian forces, backed by air strikes, have killed more than 300 Boko Haram fighters during an operation to recapture 11 towns and villages.

“Mopping up operation of some of the communities where terrorists have been cleared in the course of ongoing air and land operations against terrorists has indicated massive casualty inflicted on them within the last two days of the counter terrorists operations,” he said.

“Over 300 terrorists were killed while a few were also captured. Several weapons and equipment were also captured and some destroyed.  It has been confirmed that that five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and eight different types of Machine Guns, five Rocket Propelled Grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition as well as 300 motorcycles destroyed in the fighting.”

Olukolade added that a total of six Hilux vehicles, including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns, were also destroyed. However, two soldiers lost their lives, while 10 others were wounded in the course of the operation.

“The cordon and search operations is continuing along with aggressive patrols by troops who are now dominating the cleared communities such as Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Zuntur, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul.

“The various phases of the highly coordinated air and land operations is also ongoing in the designated theaters being handled by contingents involved in the renewed counter terrorism campaign in and outside Nigeria.”

On Tuesday, Cameroon said it had killed 86 soldiers in a number of clash with the sect, while Niger said its army has 160 suspects in custody.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initially postponed general elections on the basis of security concerns as raised by the Nigerian service chiefs.

Upon this postponement, the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau came out in a new video to claim that in life and death, the sect would disrupt the elections.

The Nigerian army and the regional force has till March 27 to stabilise the northeast Nigeria for elections to hold.