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On February 15th, government troops killed 81 Boko Haram militants in recent clearance operations in northeast Nigeria.
The operations covered “many villages” in the vast Sambisa Forest in the northeastern state of Borno, said Farouk Yahaya, theater commander of Operation Lafiya Dole.
It is not exactly clear when it took place, or how long it took.
“The relentless troops destroyed the terrorists’ camps and recovered gun trucks and weapons as the air force aircraft continue to provide close air and interdiction support to the ground forces,” Yahaya said.
During the operations, he said, one soldier was killed and four others wounded in an incident involving improvised explosive devices planted by Boko Haram militants.
Earlier, on February 9th, Nigerian Army Headquarters said the troops of Operation Tura Takaibango eliminated two most wanted Boko Haram terrorist leaders, Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib in an encounter at Pulka axis of Borno.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Mohammed Yerima, disclosed this in a statement.
Yerima said the renewed offensive operations by troops under the theatre command, Operation Lafiya Dole, had continued to inflict heavy casualty on the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the North East.
He said the troops of 121 and 151 Battalions ambushed the terrorists’ crossing point between Vuria and Guja settlements along road Banki Junction – Pulka axis.
He said that three terrorists, including the two wanted commanders, were neutralised during the ambush.
According to him, the troops also recovered three GPMG, seven AK47 rifles, a belt of ammunition containing 446 rounds of 7.62mm, one Boxer motorcycle and one ITEL 2160 mobile phone among others.
“Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib were among the top BHTs commanders of the Shekau faction operating in Sambisa forest and environs. The two terrorist commanders have been on the intelligence watch-list for some time. Abul-Bas was a top commander second to Abu Fatima, while Ibn Habib was the BHT Commander in charge of Njimia and Parisu camps in the Sambisa Forest,” he said.
The fight against Boko Haram has been going for over a decade, and there is only marginal progress, with bloody attacks taking place frequently.
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Nigeria is one of the most corrupt african countries, the north part of Nigeria where’s home to the majority of Muslim people is really undeveloped generally compared to rest of country, the oil revenue directly goes to packets of elites (Christians and Muslims) and the part of meddle class that keeps the system intact,