Troops of multinational joint task force say they have neutralised 25 Boko Haram and the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists after repelling an attack by the terrorists in the North Eastern Lake Chad.
Military intelligence sources said an unconfirmed number of the terrorists had attempted to attack a fuel depot in Soudeye locality of Borgogorou in Niger republic on Saturday, but were repelled by the task force, after more than one hour of heavy gunfire that inflicted casualty on the terrorists.
According to an intelligence report obtained by Makama, a counter insurgency expert in the Lake Chad, the task force had pushed back the terrorists before a combined air task Force comprising of Nigeria and Niger republic carried out multiple airstrikes, scoring accurate hits, which led to the destruction of three guntrucks and all its occupants.
The sources said the air task force Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft trailed the fleeing remnants of the insurgents and destroyed two additional guntrucks killing its occupants.
"We counted 26 bodies, there may be more because some of the bodies were scattered all over the place. At first, they came in three guntrucks and we killed all of them and destroyed the three trucks. ISR patrol sighted additional two running away at night and destroyed them too,"said the sources.
The sources added that the government forces did not suffer any fatalities or casualties.
A frontline source added that the MNJTF force commander commended the task force for their doggedness, as he also charged them to ensure total annihilation of the Boko Haram/ISWAP in the entire Lake Chad Region.
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The Force Commander was quoted as saying, "We are motivated and ready to keep killing them until they surrender unconditionally in the lake Chad Basin.
"We believe that remnants of them are the ones causing most of the problems inside Nigeria but they got inspiration here in Niger republic and we must finish them off here. That's the directive from our Service Chiefs and we must obey," the Force Commander was quoted as saying.
It could be recalled that the intensified intelligence-led COIN ground and aerial offensives in the Boko Haram/ISWAP strongholds in the Lake Chad Tumbus of Abadam and Marte under Operation Desert and Lake Sanity has pushed terrorists to seek refuge around the river banks between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
"Some of the hideouts which included Lumburam, Fiyoo, Lada and Jarwaram, located in riverbanks between Nigeria-Niger republic, were used to coordinate attacks on Gaidam, Kannama, Buni Yadi and other part of the North East," the intelligence source further said.
