Fleeing Boko Haram insurgents drown in Lake Chad

           

A large number of Boko Haram insurgents have downed in Lake Chad as they fled the bombardment by Nigerian Air Force.
Though the number of the dead terrorists was not given, it was said that many of them died as they fled the aerial attacks by NAF jets on Baga, the location of Multi-National Joint Taskforce base seized by the sect in January, 2015.


A statement by the Director, Defence
Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade in Abuja on Saturday, said the insurgents had buried land mines in over 1,500 spots on the routes leading
to the town.

It said all the land mines were skilfully cleared
one after the other, noting that the mining of the
grounds could not save the terrorists from the
aggressive move of advancing troops.
“A large number of terrorists have drowned in
Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment
by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of
Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of
Baga.
“Not even the strategy of mining over 1500 spots
with land mines on the routes leading to the
town could save the terrorists from the
aggressive move of advancing troops.
“Many of the terrorists died while an unknown
but substantial number of them fled with various
degrees of injury, in the series of encounter
along the routes of advance of the as troops
headed for Baga,” the statement added.
Olukolade said apart from the five anti-aircraft
guns and the rifles captured from the terrorists,
over 34 motorcycles and five vehicles including
trucks being used for operations by the terrorists
were destroyed in the course of the fighting as
troops headed for Baga, noting that the troops
finally began clearing the terrorists on arrival in
the town early Saturday morning.
The Defence spokesman said a comprehensive
cordon and search phase of military operation
has now commenced to enable troops mop up
arms and ammunition and also apprehend any
terrorist who might be hiding in the vicinity.
The exercise, he added, would also determine
details of the casualties inflicted or incurred in
the course of the operations to clear Baga and
environs of terrorists.
Olukolade said similar exercise is being carried
out in over 15 locations namely Gajigana, Ngaze,
Ngenzai, Marte Junction, Mile 90, Yoyo, Kekeno,
Kukawa, Cross Kauwa, Kangarwa, Amirari,
Kichimatari, Borokari Barati, Kauwa and other
localities where troops have flushed out the
terrorists in the operations preceding the entry to
Baga.
“The troops are now dominating and conducting
aggressive patrols in the locations; The morale
of troops remain high,” he stressed.