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Maiduguri—No fewer than five soldiers and three terrorists were feared dead in a fierce encounter yesterday, as a group of terrorists laid ambush on troops at Ngurosoye village situated along Bama-Banki- Pulka- Gwoza deadly road. A reliable source in Bama told our correspondent that the incident took place on Sunday morning when troops were on routine patrol along the road, not knowing that the insurgents took strategic positions waiting for their arrival at Ngurosoye.
Ngurosoye village, located south and heart of Sambisa forest, is just a stone throw to the destroyed Umar Ibn Ibrahim College of Education, Bama, hitherto an agrarian community before it was taken over by insurgents. The source said: ‘’Early yesterday, we received a distress call that some terrorists had ambushed troops around Ngurosoye general area where five soldiers and three terrorists were feared dead.
“Usually, troops are not stationed at Ngurosoye, but they do come from Bama in the morning and take position for patrol around that axis. Unfortunately, some terrorists laid ambush and when troops arrived the scene, the attackers opened fire which led to exchange of gunshots that claimed the lives of some soldiers and the terrorists. “Although, I am not authorized to talk to the press, information at my disposal revealed that five soldiers and three terrorists were feared dead in the encounter.’’
At press time, a message sent to Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, for confirmation was unreplied. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said yesterday troops on the frontline in the fight against insurgents and banditry killed seven members of Boko Haram and ten bandits in different operations across the country. It also confirmed that large number of arms, ammunition and gun truck vehicles and motorcycles belonging to the criminals were recovered. Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, who disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri yesterday, said: “The recent humiliating defeats suffered by marauding Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province criminals in Damboa, Borno State and Garkida in Adamawa State in the hands of the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole is being sustained with more debilitating defeat of the terrorists. “Evidently, the devastating defeat suffered by the criminal insurgents has continued to widen the cracks and animosities exposed recently within the ranks and files of the Boko Haram criminal sect on the one hand and between it and its rival splinter sect, on the other, while also providing the troops with the much needed tonic to continue to decimate the terrorists in a bid to expeditiously end their obnoxious activities.
“In the same vein, armed bandits, kidnappers and other sundry criminals are finding it increasingly difficult to operate across the country as Nigerian Army troops continue to step up their anti-banditry operations across the North Central and North West Regions in particular.” “It could be recalled that on 11 March 2020, the gallant troops of Strong Response Area Gubio successfully repelled a Boko Haram criminals’ attack. During the encounter, troops dealt a decisive blow on the marauding criminals, neutralized 2 of them and captured one AK 47 rifle. “Subsequent exploitation by the troops along the withdrawal route of the insurgents in the early hours of 12 March 2020 led to the discovery of additional 5 Boko Haram criminals’ shattered bodies resulting from the encounter, one burnt Boko Haram terrorists Gun Truck, one PKT Machine Gun, 2 AK 47 Rifles, 3 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 67 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
“Furthermore, on the same March 5, 2020, two Boko Haram terrorists, Musa Mohammed, 21; and Maina Liman, 35, surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion deployed at Tashan Goto in Bama LGA of Borno State. “The surrendered terrorists confessed that they worked for the Nakib (a Boko Haram Captain) at Bula Umar Village. The troop’s recovered 2 AK 47 rifles, 2 AK 47 rifle Magazines and 8 rounds of 7.62mm Special Ammunition from the surrendered terrorists.” “The surrendered criminals further revealed that a number of their erstwhile members were killed by troops in recent times while others are left wandering in the forest and willing to surrender to troops of the Nigerian Army as they are tired of life without meaning.
“They also regretted their involvement in the act of insurgency while calling on their former collaborators to also take the bold step to renounce and submit themselves to the authorities of the Nigerian Army. ‘’In a related development, on March 8, 2020, another Boko Haram terrorist, Bulama Modu Zantaliye surrendered to troops of 151 Battalion deployed at Strong Response Area Banki Junction.
Source: Vanguard
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