Soldiers Capture 9 Terrorists, Begin ‘Operation Crackdown’ In Deadly Sambisa Forest

Soldiers deployed in the ongoing operation Lafiya Dole in the North East have captured nine members of the Boko Haram sect who were hiding in fox holes in Borno State.

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement that troops of the 22 Brigade Garrison, captured the insurgents during a clearance operation at terrorists hideouts of Cinga, Mallum Maja, Bosuma and Murye villages. Three of the insurgents were also killed by the troops.

Also, military chiefs met in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Monday to reappraise the anti-insurgency war in Sambisa Forest — believed to be the last stronghold of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Gabriel Abayomi Olanisakin. It was attended by Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar.

There were also senior military chiefs at the Theatre Command Headquarters of Operation Lafia Dole at the Maimalari Cantonment.

Gen. Olanisakin said the meeting was to reappraise the ongoing military operation at the Sambisa forest and environs with the aim of clearing the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents from Nigeria’s territory.

“I am here with the Service Chiefs actually to reappraise the operation that is ongoing in Sambisa. We have an operation now that started a couple of days ago and we have come to appraise the level of that operation.

“The military onslaught tagged ‘Operation Crackdown’ is to clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists out of Sambisa and Nigeria’s borders.

“The operation has been on course for five days. The little issues that are being encountered by troops at the operation are being addressed to achieve the operational plan.

"I want Nigerians to know that we are determined to clear Boko Haram from our land,” the CDS said.