NIGERIA: BLOODBATH IN BORNO

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno, yesterday said it killed 17 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect and lost a soldier during gun battle at the sect’s suspected camps where it recovered some arms, barely a week after a section of the sect declared ceasefire.

Spokesman of the task force, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa in a statement yesterday, said the JTF, with the support of the Nigerian Air Force Helicopter Gunship, conducted two special operations on suspected Boko Haram camps at Sambisa, Bama Local Government area and Farin-Ruwa Forest, south west/east of Damboa Local Government, killing no fewer than 17 gunmen suspected to be of Boko Haram sect.

The JTF also said it bursted the sect’s arm cache during the operations. “The JTF ORO conducted two special operations, supported by Nigerian Airforce Helicopter Gunship to dislodge Boko Haram camps located in Sambisa Game Reserve in Bama Local Government and Farin – Ruwa Forest South West/East of Demboa Local Government Areas of Borno State on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 January, 2013. “The camps were properly sighted and fortified and had training facilities; armoury, accommodation, drugs store/medical, kitchen, vehicle holding area, latrine and water points (River).

The camp was used to conduct training and carry out recent attacks, killings and bombings in Maiduguri, Musari, Konduga, Biu, Bama, and Damboa communities. Efforts by JTF troops to destroy the camps led to fierce exchange of fire that resulted in the death of seventeen (17) Boko Haram and one (1) JTF personnel was killed.

The camps were destroyed and are being monitored,” Lt Col Sagir said. Among the itmes recovered in the two operations, according to the JTF spokesman, include six AK 47 Rifles, two G3 Rifle, three Pistols, one Rocket Propeller Grenade Bomb RPG, one RPG Tube, 20 RPG Chargers, two Double Barrel Rifles, 2,543 Assorted Ammunition and 33 Assorted Empty Magazines. Others are three Laptops Computers, ten Assorted Motorola Walkie Talkies, 20 Telephone Handsets, 40 Assorted Primed IED canisters, threeBags of rice and two bags of beans, two jerry cans of palm oil, one bag of salt, one Generator set and Light Green Uniforms (sown and unsown).

He urged residents and the local communities to give credible and timely information to the task force and other security agencies in the state.