The Nigerian Army yesterday discovered and destroyed a factory that was being used by Islamist insurgents to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The Nigerian Army yesterday discovered and destroyed a factory that was being used by Islamist insurgents to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
A statement issued by a military spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, disclosed that troops of 25th Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army had discovered the IED factory “during a cordon and search operation at Sandia, Kokakowa and Nyaleri villages suspected to be Boko Haram enclaves.” He added that the soldiers also discovered and destroyed another IED-making factory at Miyati and Nyaleri villages in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to the spokesman, soldiers arrested three suspected terrorists “comprising an ‘Ameer,’ a high contact and a foot soldier.” In addition to the IED-making equipment, soldiers also seized a Peugeot pick up van, foodstuff, a 10-KVA Lister generator, gas cylinders, borehole, nine bags of fertilizer, pumping machine, three bags of maize, one bag of millet, and 13 empty fuel jerry cans.
Colonel Usman revealed that the military launched a joint operation between the Brigade and the Nigerian Air Force, which provided air cover and tracking. The offensive “was part of the determined effort by the military to rout out terrorists in the general area and open more roads hitherto held by the terrorists for public usage,” the spokesman said.
He said yesterday’s offensive was “part of the renewed effort and vigor on the part of our troops to meet up with the set dateline that has turned the tide and momentum of the battle against the Boko Haram terrorists in our country.” Colonel Usman described the troops as being in high morale and excited with their accomplishment thus far.
He said the troops were poised to reclaim territories in Gamboru Ngala area still under the control of the terrorists.