The Nigerian Army yesterday said troops on Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-east, killed 19 Boko Haram members including an Ameer at Chukungudu, Borno State.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said the insurgents, including the Ameer, were killed when troops of 22 Brigade Garrison and 153 Task Force Battalion of 7 Division and 8 Task Force Division as well as Nigeria Air Force Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) and some Civilian JTF,
carefully planned and launched a deliberate attack on Boko Haram stronghold and camp at Chukungudu on Friday, May 3.
According to the Army spokesman, the troops had while advancing the location, encountered Boko Haram ambush positions at Muskari, Gilam and Hausasi before descending on their main objective at Chukungudu.
It was during the encounter at the camp, Mr. Usman, a colonel, said the troops killed 19 Boko Haram terrorists including their leader in the area called Ameer Abubakar Gana.
Gana, according to sources with knowledge of the workings of Boko Haram, was a highly feared terrorist leader due to his notoriety for slaughtering his victims. His rise to the position of Ameer, a status he reportedly attained a long time ago, was as a result of the high number of killings under his belt.
He was also said to be one of the few high ranking members of the sect that had direct communication with Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
His death, is therefore, considered a huge blow for the terrorists and a major victory for the war against insurgency.
In a mop up exercise, the troops discovered and destroyed Boko Haram’s Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) making factory, and successfully detonated four primed IEDs.
They (troops) also recovered two anti-aircraft guns, 1 AK-47 rifle, a pistol, 1 Rocket Propelled Gun (RPG) bomb, one AK-47 magazine, 267 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) metal links ammunition and 23 rounds of 12.7mm belt ammunition.
Other recovered items include a canter truck, one gun truck, one Land Rover and a Toyota Hilux.
Col. Usman added: “Two soldiers suffered gunshot wounds as a result of enemy action. However, it is gratifying to state that both of them are very stable and responding to treatment at the Field Ambulance”.
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