Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued no fewer than 900 captives during an extreme intrusion into the insurgents’ enclaves in Sambisa Forest, North-East, killing a top Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist, Adamu Ngulde, and 23 other terrorists, top military sources said.
The sources said in a major boost, troops of the 402 Special Forces Brigade, comprising of 134, 198 and 199 Special Forces Battallions, under the Operation Hadin Kai second phase of Desert Sanity, cleared the terrorists camps in the axis of Bama local government area of Borno State.
According to an intelligence report obtained by a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama, through military sources, the camps included those at Mantari, Gapchari, Ngalmari, Malumbori, Kyautari, Malmatari, Kanari, Kajimari, Ngauramari and Yusufari, among others.
The sources said, “During the joint offensive, scores of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists including a top Commander, Adamu Ngulde, met their waterloo in the hands of the gallant troops, forcing dozens of them to surrender while more than 900 women and children were so far rescued.”
The competent Military sources added that some of the terrorists fled, abandoning their weapons and belongings while the Mujahedeens, who escaped the military’s onslaught were evacuated to Zangiri, Koroshirili Ali Kanzari, Bashari and Kardari, a location which would be used for the treatment of wounded fighters.
Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, the Theartre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, said in his recent interview that the operation has successfully cleared the general area of Sambisa and Timbuktu Triangle which used to be the strongholds of the terrorists.
He had said, “We have moved on beyond Gwoza to Sambisa clearing the entire general area. This is the much I can tell you for now. All what these criminals are doing now is hit and run.
“We have uprooted them from all their strongholds. The same applies with the Timbuktu triangle and we have made so much progress. We are grateful for the input from our Chief because, now we have been further empowered with more equipment. And by the grace of God, we are making progress.
“All the criminals are doing now is what is described as hit and run. We have uprooted them from all their strongholds.
“They don’t have permanent bases anymore. We have started ‘Operation Desert Sanity’ while the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is conducting ‘Operation Lake Sanity’.
“Normally, when you strike here, they run to either Niger, Chad or one of those countries. But now the MNJTF is making sure they are trapped, while we make progress from here ensuring that they don’t have where to run.”
