Soldiers attack B’Haram camp, seize 700 vehicles

The Special Forces involved in the
ongoing campaign against the Boko
Haram insurgents have recorded what
security sources have described as one
the greatest breakthroughs in the
campaign against terrorists in the
North-East.
Investigations on Tuesday revealed that
the Special Forces, comprising ground
troops and the Air Force fighters, had
demobilized one of the strongest
fortresses of the Boko Haram sect.
It was learnt that the soldiers, who
carried out the operation, were shocked
by the volume of arms and ammunition
and hundreds of operational vehicles
that they captured at the camp.
A source put the number of vehicles
captured from the insurgents at 700
while several members of the sect were
arrested.
The spokesman of the 7th Division, Col.
Mohammed Dole, referred our
correspondent to the Director of
Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris
Olukolade, for comments on the issue.
Olukolade, who confirmed the capture
of the Boko Haram camp, said that
several terrorists who were wounded in
the military raids were arrested and had
made useful confessions.
The Director of Defence Information
said in an electronic mail on Tuesday
that some of the wounded terrorists
who were captured near Lake Chad
were pleading for mercy and were
cooperating with interrogators from the
Multi-National Joint Task Force.
Olukolade said that some of the
insurgents were captured by troops
around Dikwa, Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and
Alargarmo.
He said that the captives revealed
during interrogation that some of the
camps were disbanded as the sect could
no longer sustain the operation.
"In their confessions, it was revealed
that some of the camps have been
disbanded following the directive of
their clerics who declared that the
operation of the sect had come to an
end as the mission could no longer be
sustained.
"The captured terrorists, who are giving
useful information as to the locations of
their remnant forces, are full of
apologies and pleas for their lives to be
spared promising to cooperate," the
statement reads in part.
Olukolade said that the captured
insurgents complained of starvation and
the frequency of bombardments as
some of the major problems which
affected them.
The Defence spokesman warned
members of the public to stay away
from the area, saying troops were still
continuing with the operation in the
three states.
"They confirmed that starvation was a
major problem in addition to ceaseless
bombardments on the camp locations
even when they kept relocating. They
also confirm that several members of
the group have been wounded and no
treatment was forthcoming. Troops
have continued their assault on other
locations across the states covered by
the state of emergency.
"Meanwhile, members of the public who
have started visiting to engage in sight-
seeing in some dislodged camps and
fringes of forests such as Sambisa and
others have been warned to desist from
doing so as the tendency will no more
be condoned where operations are still
ongoing.
"The general area still remains a theatre
and movement remains restricted as
the environment has to be cleared for
safety of citizens. The public will be
informed when the locations are safe
enough."
It was learnt that the seized vehicles
included those that the insurgents used
for attacks and other vehicles they
snatched from people.
Military sources said that the camp was
well planned with boreholes, dispensary
and other facilities to aid the operations
of the insurgents.