By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
Nigerian troops in the intensified efforts in ongoing Operation Lafiya Dole in parts of the North East, have discovered a pit used by the Boko Haram terrorists to dump their victims in Borno State.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday, said the troops of 7 Division Strike Group Team B attached to 22 Brigade embarked on combination of foot and mobile fighting patrols on daily basis to deny the terrorists freedom of action in their area of operations.
He said that the troops on Thursday “embarked on clearance operations in the general area of Bogoro, Duguno 1, Duguno 2 and 3, and on reaching Mbaraka, they encountered some elements of the Boko Haram extremists who engaged the patrol team in a gun battle.
He noted that “The troops rose to the occasion and successfully cleared the terrorists and proceeded to Jadda village which was suspected to be strong hold of the Boko Haram terrorists”.
As rightly believed, he said, a large number of them were discovered to have the terrorists group’s flags hoisted in their domains.
He said: “The troops engaged the Boko Haram terrorists and killed four of them. The patrol team also made another startling discovery, a big pit where the Boko Haram terrorists used for dumping bodies of hapless victims of their nefarious activities to decompose.
“It was also discovered that the terrorists held lots of people as hostage in Jadda.”
Usman said that the fighting patrol team also succeeded in freeing those held hostage and recovered an AK-47 rifle with registration number OF-4814, 30 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 12 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 14 Dane Guns, a motorcycle, two Solar panels and food storage facility.
He listed other items recovered to include 120 litres of AGO and packs of Panadol.
Sadly, he said, “One of our soldiers suffered gunshot wound and was evacuated for further medical treatment”.
“We are glad to state that he is in stable condition and responding to treatment,” he stated.
