Defence Minister, Service Chiefs in Borno to Review Insurgency War

Week-long battles claim 21 civilians, three soldiers

Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor; and the service chiefs arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at the weekend to review the situation after a week-long, firefight between troops and insurgents that led to the death of 24 persons, including three soldiers.

Combined artillery bombardments and airstrikes repelled attempts by fighters of Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) to overrun Damasak, a town in Mobbar Local Government Area bordering the Niger Republic and Lake Chad axis.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said at the weekend during a visit to Damasak, where he later spent the night with refugees who escaped from the attacks, that 21 civilians were killed during the clashes last week.

A statement by the Nigerian Army yesterday said three soldiers died during the clashes.

THISDAY gathered that the minister's entourage was received by the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, and other commanders at the Maiduguri Air Task Force Base.

Yahaya lauded the sustained commitment shown to the operations of the theatre by the minister, the chief of defence staff and service chiefs.

He added that beyond collective visits, the military chiefs had visited individually to encourage the war efforts.

The minister and the service chiefs later had a closed-door meeting with war commanders.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at the weekend arrested a suspected Boko Haram informant, whose spying activities and that of his accomplices were responsible for the attacks on troop position by terrorists in Kamuya, Yobe State.

A statement signed by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima, said the informant, who was identified as Modu Ari, was apprehended by troops of 27 Task Force Bridge.

"On interrogation, he confessed to having revealed troops' movements and position to his Boko Haram collaborators. An investigation is, however, ongoing to unravel the network of local informants whose nefarious activities have endangered troops on clearance operations around the fringes of the Timbuktu Triangle.

"The unfortunate sabotage of troops’ movement by Ari and his accomplices made it possible for the terrorists to attack the rear element of troops on patrol," it said.

The army said though the attack was repelled by troops from the Tactical Headquarters of 27 Task Force Brigade and Army Super Camp 3 Buratai, military personnel suffered some casualties.

The war update said in spite of the setback, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, encouraged troops of Operation Tura Takaibango to maintain the fighting spirit and remain dedicated in the effort to flush out the remnants of the terrorists as quickly as possible.

He charged them "not to relent even in the face of gross unpatriotic acts of some locals who are snitching on their movements and positions."