An unspecified number of Boko Haram terrorists suspected to be ISWAP group have been killed by troops of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ in an attempt to infiltrate Biu Local Government Area of Borno state on Saturday.
Biu is south and about 180km drive along the Maiduguri -Damboa-Biu road which was shut down by motorists for the past four years.
The troops also destroyed three gun truck vehicles after recovering arms and ammunition from the terrorists.
This is coming barely five days after armed group of terrorists invaded Tukur Buratai Institute of War and Peace, a research institute of the Nigerian Army University situated in Buratai of Biu, a home town of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Yusuf Tukur Buratai.
Sources and residents disclosed that the heavily armed insurgents had gained access through Damboa road’s axis from Sambisa Forest at about 2 pm on Saturday, but were intercepted at the Mainahari/Yamarkumi community Junction, just some 2km to Biu town by gallant troops with support from airforce Task Team and men of Civilian Joint Task Force, hunters and Vigilantes.
Some residents of Biu while speaking with journalists, confirmed the attempted invasion of the terrorists but insisted that many of them met their Waterloo, along with the destruction of their vehicles, arms and ammunition.
Yakubu Isa, a resident of Yamarkumi village, said, “I saw scores of dead bodies of the terrorists on the ground as their vehicles were consumed by heavy firepower from the troops”.
All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sani Shatambaya, proved abortive at press time, but a reliable security officer in Biu confirmed the incident, even as he couldn’t give the number of casualties, if any, from the side of the security forces.
