The Nigerian Army said it quashed the recent attempts by the terrorists to infiltrate Michika and Madagali in Adamawa state on Jan. 2 by the combined troops of 217 Tank Battalion and elements of 144 Battalion.
The Army said its troops in the North East theatre of operations tested the recently inducted indigenous Mines Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles against Boko Haram terrorists the recent encounters.
The Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement on Sunday, disclosed that the deployment of the MRAP dealt deadly blow on the terrorists.
He explained that the criminals went to the town in gun trucks and motorcycles, began sporadic shootings that caused uproar in the peaceful community thus compelling law-abiding residents to scamper for safety.
According to him, the troops immediately mobilised, blocked and engaged the criminals with overwhelmingly superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their heinous intentions and retreat in disarray, albeit with high casualty in men and equipment.
“At the end of the encounter, two BokoHaram terrorists were neutralised with recovery of equipment while one soldier paid the supreme price and two others wounded in action during the encounter.
“The Wounded personnel were evacuated to a military medical facility and are responding positively to treatment,” he said.
Iliyasu further disclosed that the troops conducted massive raid/cordon and search operations at some identified Boko Haram hideouts between Jakana and Mainok in Konduga and Kaga local government areas of Borno on Jan. 4.
He added that six suspected terrorists were arrested while a total of 461 captives comprising 100 men, 154 women and 207 children were rescued from the insurgents who had kept them as hostages in their ancestral community.
According to him, the rescued children within the Polio Vaccination age were instantly administered with the vaccine in line with the Buratai Intervention Task Force Initiative by the Nigerian Army Medical Team.
“All rescued victims have been promptly evacuated and handed over to Borno State Internally Displaced Persons officials.
“In a separate incident, on 2nd January 2020, troops of 159 Task Force Battalion deployed at a Check Point along the Main Supply Route Damasak-Kareto in Mobbar LGA of Borno State rescued 4 minors aged between 10 – 14 years old.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were abducted from Damasak in 2015 by the Boko Haram criminal elements.
“The rescued minors narrated their ordeal in the hands of the Boko Haram criminals and how they escaped from a camp in Tumbun Gini during a recent onslaught by troops.
“It is heartwarming to state that the parents of the rescued minors were contacted and they have all identified their wards amid tears of joy,” he said.
