Boko Haram terrorists yesterday suffered massive losses after an Air Force drone hit their base near Sambisa Forest, killing many and destroying equipment, according to the military.
Also yesterday, two would-be suicide bombers were stopped by troops from entering Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Explaining how the sect’s members were hit, Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said in a statement:
“The Nigerian Air Force Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has destroyed a logistics base used by members of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) group.
“The UAV was on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission when it came across the gathering of BHTs at Garin Moloma, about one kilometre north of the Sambisa Forest.
“At the time of the UAV attack, the location, though under surveillance for quite a while, had a large gathering of BHTs and vehicles.
“The multiple explosions and huge fire ball from the location strongly suggests that it may be either an ammunition/fuel storage or weapons/technical workshop.
“This strike is thus a major setback for the Boko Haram sect, and a major plus for the fight against insurgency by own troops.”
The military averted a suicide attack on Maiduguri when troops intercepted two bombers before they could enter the city, home to over two million people, many of them Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) fleeing attacks and insecurity.
Residents said two suicide bombers made desperate efforts to enter the city through the outskirts but were gunned down.
Media Coordinator of Operation Lafiya Dole Col Mustapha Ankas said the bombers were intercepted by military troops at Muna Dalti.
“Troops intercepted two suicide bombers trying to infiltrate Maiduguri through Muna Dalti 100 meters ahead of our troops and CJTF checkpoint. The suicide bombers were halted but refused to stop. In the process, the bombers blew themselves up,” Ankas told reporters.
He added that there was no casualty other than the two bombers. He said the area had been cordoned off, adding: “Aggressive search is going on in the general area.”
Col. Ankas said troops of 112 Battalion and AHQ Special Group conducted fighting patrols along Gardawaji, Adashe, Mijigine, Manawci, Sigafariya Bula Goma, Mafa, Dikwa and Kala Balge in the central part of the state where 56 Boko Haram insurgents were killed.
According to him, items recovered from the insurgents include: Eight AK-47 rifles, three RPG, seven tubes, one GPMG, one MPGP, one-60mm mortar, one grenade, three motor bombs and 18 motorcycles.
Col. Ankas said vehicles were also destroyed and 520 hostages were rescued and brought to an IDP Camp in Dikwa.
He reassured the people that the military was determined to safeguard their lives and property, adding that the heat on the insurgents was forcing them to resort to using suicide bombers.
Col. Ankas urged the people to be vigilant always.
The sect struck at the weekend killing no fewer than 85 people in a night attack at Dalori, a farming community 12 kilometres to Maiduguri.
The terrorists reportedly arrived the village in a convoy of Golf Volkswagen vehicles and motorcycles laden with explosives and petro-bombs and attacked the village, killing the villagers, set fire to houses and fled towards Alau Dam.
Col. Anka in a statement said: “The insurgents came in Golf cars, motorcycles and started opening fire and burning houses. Their motives were to cause rancor and penetrate crowd with suicide bombers.