The Defence Headquarters has said the military has neutralised over 343 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the Nort-East between March 18 and May 5.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, stated this while giving update on the military operations across the country at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

Enenche said that several other terrorists suffered various degrees of gunshot wounds with narrow chances of survival, adding that several others, including their key leaders, were killed by air bombardments.

He also disclosed that most of the Boko Haram’s logistics installations and networks were being destroyed, while 16 of their informants and logistics suppliers were arrested within the period.

According to him, “at the call of this duty, some of our troops paid the supreme prize and others were wounded in action.

“Some villages that were attacked during the period were recovered by our gallant troops and normalcy returned to the affected areas.

“A number of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions were conducted, which revealed criminal hideouts and their activities.

“Consequently, air interdictions were conducted, which led to the destruction of several Boko Hatam logistics facilities and compounds, housing some of their leaders including Abu Usamah and a number of their fighters who were eliminated,” he said.

Under Operation Hadarin Daji, Enenche disclosed that the combined troops comprising land and air components as well as other security operatives recorded huge successes in Katsina and Zamfara states during the period.

He said that several bandits’ locations and hideouts were cleared with close air support provided for ground troops leading to killing of 146 bandits in the two states.

He added that a total of 17 kidnapped victims were rescued and united with their families while several arms and ammunition among other equipment were recovered.

According to him, the troops also rescued 922 rustled cattle and 446 sheep, adding that four soldiers paid the supreme prize during the period

under Operation Whirl Punch.

The coordinator said there was clamp down on armed militia and bandits in Benue and Taraba States within the period.

He disclosed that the troops successfully rescued seven kidnapped victims and recovered large caches of ammunition and other items.

According to him, a total of seven bandits were killed by troops from contacts made at Toto in Nasarawa State and Anku Mbagen in Atera-Jange Torov Council Ward of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue.

In maritime operations along the Southern region, Enenche disclosed that troops of Operations Awatse and Delta Safe recorded tremendous successes in their operations.

Enenche further disclosed that the Nigerian Navy rescued three Beninoise whose fishing trawler caught fire at Lagos anchorage during the period under review.

He added that the Navy also responded to a distress call by Beninoise Navy for assistance, when 11 crew men onboard a Portuguese flagged container ship, MV TOMMI RITSCHER in Benin territorial waters, came under attack by pirates. (Nigerian Tribune)

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