Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Troops of Operation Tura Takai Bango, a subsidiary of Operation Lafiya Dole weekend killed two most wanted Boko Haram commanders, Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib.
The elimination of the terrorists is coming as troops of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment weekend foiled an ambush set up by a group of over 100 armed bandits at Ungwan Laya near Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
New Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima announced the killing of the insurgents.
Yerima said the renewed offensive operations by troops of Operation Tura Takai Bango inflicted heavy casualty on fighters of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province
He said troops of 121 and 151 Battalions killed the terrorists during a fierce encounter at the crossing point between Vuria and Guja settlements along Banki Junction Road – Pulka axis.
”During the ambush, the troops neutralised three terrorists, the most wanted terrorist commanders known as Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib.
“The troops also recovered 3 x GPMG, 7 x AK47 rifles, a belt of ammunition containing 446 rounds of 7.62mm, one boxer motorcycle and one ITEL 2160 mobile phone among others,” he said.
The Army Spokesman pointed out that Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib were among the top Boko Haram commanders of the Shekau faction operating in Sambisa forest and environs.
According to him, “the two terror commanders have been on the Intelligence watch-list for sometime. Abul-Bas was a top commander second to Abu Fatima while Ibn Habib was the BHT Commander in charge of Njimia and Parisu camps in the Sambisa Forest”.
He stressed that “the neutralisation of Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib by our gallant troops has inflicted a big blow on the operations of the terrorists and has further boosted the morale of own troops in the ongoing operation “Tura Takaibango”.
According to him, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Ibrahim Attahiru has commended the troops for this feat and other successes being recorded in the theatre.
Meanwhile, troops of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment weekend foiled an ambush set up by a group of over 100 armed bandits at Ungwan Laya near Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
A statement by the Nigerian Air Force said the gallant troops were able to fight their way through the ambush, killing dozens of bandits in the process. “Unfortunately, some NAF personnel paid the supreme price during the operation, while a few others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“The injured personnel are currently receiving treatment at the NAF Hospital in Kaduna”, it said.
It said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Oladayo Amao, on behalf all officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserated with the families of the fallen heroes and prays that the Almighty God grants their souls peaceful repose. T
he CAS, who visited the injured personnel in the hospital urged all NAF personnel to remain resolute and continue to work assiduously in synergy with sister services and other security agencies, to rid the North-west of all criminal elements
