BORNO —Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, yesterday, said ground troops had blocked movement of Boko Haram terrorists in and out of Sambisa forest.
This came on a day military authorities disclosed that soldiers prosecuting the war on terror, in conjunction with Civilian JTF members, intercepted five Boko Haram terrorists logistics team and arrested a leader of the group in a separate operation.
Buratai stated this while fielding questions from journalists shortly after monitoring troops’ deployment at Banki junction in Borno.
He said ongoing “Operation Crack Down” had been successful as the troops were making steady progress in dismantling the remaining Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa.
Buratai said he was at Banki to confirm the movement of troops and equipment and observe the situation in the “theatre”.
He said the location of troops at Banki junction was significant in the military operations to restrict movement of the insurgents from outside the country through Cameroon or Chad.
“This Banki junction is a major route that links the north to the south and is also bordering Cameroon; it is also a link to Chad Republic.
Troops intercept terrorists’ logistics team
Meanwhile, military authorities disclosed, yesterday, that soldiers prosecuting the war on terror, in conjunction with Civilian JTF members, Tuesday, intercepted five Boko Haram terrorists logistics team and arrested a leader of the terrorist group in a separate operation.
A statement from Army Headquarters, detailing the operations, said troops of 120 Task Force Battalion, 27 Task Force Brigade, in conjunction with vigilantes, while on patrol, intercepted five Boko Haram terrorists logistics team at Gotumba area trying to move logistics items to suspected Boko Haram hideouts at Aluwa, using five donkeys.
He said on sighting the patrol team, the terrorists abandoned the items, following which the troops pursued them and killed three while two escaped with gunshot wounds.
“In a related development, based on information, troops of 7 Division Garrison today in conjunction Civilian JTF, arrested one Alhaji Bulama Budu at Old Maiduguri general area.
“Preliminary investigation shows that Alhaji Bulami Budu, who hailed from Aiwa village, Mafa Local Government Area, was one of the Boko Haram terrorists detained at Giwa Barracks before he escaped when his colleagues, Boko Haram terrorists, attacked the facility and released all the insurgents in March 2014.”
