Encomium
Where there’s a will, there’s a way – this seems to be the case with the Nigerian military in their fight against the nefarious Boko Haram terrorists in recent times.
Before now, the fundamentalists had unleashed unimaginable terror on the hapless inhabitants of Nigeria’s north east – drastically dwindling the population of the region while rendering others internally displaced persons (IDPs) in refugee camps.
Many had lamented the military’s lack of will which had seen the terrorists operate almost unimpeded – to the extent that they conquered some towns and went ahead to rename a couple.
Appallingly, barely a week after Boko Haram captured and renamed Mubi town in Adamawa state to “Madinatul Islam” (meaning City of Islam); the sect reportedly also renamed Borno’s Gwoza town “Darul Hikma” (meaning House of Wisdom).
The African Union (AU) had on Thursday (January 29) endorsed a West African plan to set up a regional task force of 7,500-strong multinational force to fight the Islamic insurgents, a senior official said.
The four nations of the Lake Chad Basin (the sect’s stronghold) – Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria – agreed to join forces, with a contingent from Benin Republic (which borders Nigeria to the west). But disagreements surfaced over how to deploy the troops, and as a result, a cohesive fighting force has failed to materialize.
Military bombardment of the militants’ camps across the border towns has gone ahead nonetheless and so far is yielding fruits as the Nigerian military, with Cameroon and Chad lending a hand, are reclaiming territories lost to Boko Haram…
February 27, 2015: Troops recover eight more towns in Yobe, Adamawa; flush out terrorists
The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, has said that troops have recaptured more towns from the Boko Haram sect.
Olukolade said in a statement on Friday, February 27, that the troops handed out a crushing defeat to the insurgents and recovered the headquarters of Gulani Local Government Area of Yobe State, Bara, and the headquarters of Madagali Local Government area, Gulag, from them in the early hours of Friday.
He said the troops also flushed out terrorists from other locations such as Shikah, Fikayel, Tetebah, Buza, Kamla and Bumsa, during the two-day operation.
According to Olukolade, many insurgents were killed in the fierce fighting that preceded the liberation of the communities.
The Defence spokesman said that the troops recovered and destroyed several arms and ammunition, vehicles and other equipment including anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns, barrel grenade launchers, rifles and mortar guns.
March 3, 2015: Military recovers 30 communities, sacks terrorists, troops kill scores of suspected insurgents in Borno
The military said it has secured at least 30 communities that were under the control of the Boko Haram sect, as hundreds of terrorists perished in renewed operations in the Northeast.
This came as an attempt by suspected Boko Haram terrorists to recapture Konduga town in Borno State was foiled.
It was learnt that the insurgents who disguised as herdsmen with cattle crossing the road at 6.45am, could not beat the Nigerian soldiers in the game of deceit as the troops of 7 Division in Borno State clashed with the hoodlums and effectively repelled them.
A statement on the Twitter handle of the Nigerian Defence Headquarters said the military operations in the Northeast – particularly “Yobe State – to flush out the insurgents from their remaining hideouts,” has been successful.
It said: “Troops are dominating operations in Kukawa, Geri, Gujba in Yobe to rid the terrorists.”
-MICHAEL NWOKIKE
