Boko-Haram Commander Killed In Sokoto

A top commander of the Boko Haram sect popularly called Buwayayye
(meaning the untouchable in Hausa language) was killed while another
was captured yesterday in Sokoto, after an eight-hour fierce gun
battle between the sect and a combined team of security forces
comprising soldiers and operatives of the State Security Service.
Eleven people including women and children were rescued.

The brigade commander, 1 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Ta'siu Ibrahim, confirmed
the operation that sent fear into the minds of residents within the
vicinity. According to one of the locals, the residents were forced to
say their last prayers, as all they could hear throughout the night
was continuous gunshot.

The incident occurred around Gidan Dare, Kalambaina in Wamakko local
government area of the state, where, the brigade commander claimed,
the terrorists were successfully repelled.

The operation, which lasted almost eight hours, according to a
military source, started at about 2am on Thursday (yesterday) and
lasted until after 9am.

According to the source, the terrorists were engaged in fierce gun
battle but were overcome, and the forces recorded no casualty. The
source also added that the security forces killed andcaptured the
terrorists, including their wives and children.

Briefing newsmen at the Azazi Hall of 1 Brigade, Sokoto Army Barracks,
yesterday, the brigade commander enjoined every Nigerian to make peace
a priority, just as he assured of the readiness of the security agents
to ensure the safety of the lives and properties of all Nigerians, as
well as protect her territorial integrity in line with global best
practices at all times.

I want to intimate you with our activities within the last 24 hours in
ensuring that the atmosphere of peace prevails, especially in this
holy month that we are in -- the Ramadan period. Despite the fact that
it is a holy month, afew hoodlums – to be specific, terrorists – are
hell-bent on causing mayhem and destruction, and spilling the blood of
innocent citizens, he said.

Speaking on the operational method, the commander said, On a tip-off,
we undertook a joint operation in the general area of Gidan Dare,
around the Kalambaina road, where a terrorist hideout was discovered.
Operations began in the earlier morning hours of today (yesterday)
andI am pleased to inform you that the operation was hugely
successful. During the course of the operation, fatalities on the part
of the terrorists were recorded. To be precise, one of the terrorists
was killed, one captured, five women and six children were rescued and
they are very safe.

Two of the women are pregnant and are receiving ante-natal care at the moment.
investigations revealed that the five women were from Borno, Zamfara,
Kano, Sokoto states and the neighbouring Niger Republic. Of the six
children rescued, one boy was aged 5, and another girl, 3. Two others
boys were aged 2, and there was a 4-month-old infant girl.

The slain suspected suspect, believed tobe a wanted person, was said
to be a famous member of the terrorist group, while the captured
accomplice, a male of about 20 years, was alive.
Gen. Ibrahim also thanked the people for their support: Without the
cooperation of the good people of Sokoto State, most of the successes
we are recording would have been impossible.

Gen. Ibrahim mentioned the items recovered within the household: six
AK 47 rifles, a pump-action rifle, 13 magazines of ammunition, seven
improvised explosive devices, 32 hi-watt (6f22) 9v batteries for
transistor radios.

Other items include an axe, four handsets, 66 SIM cards, three memory
cards, 10 Orlando Milk cartons, 56 detonator cables used in IEDs,
three handset chargers, N76,685.00, 701 7.62mm ammunition rounds, 13
IEDs prime clocks, an Abuja vehicle plate number (EL 295 ABJ) and a
wrist-watch,a copy of the complete Holy Qur'an, a prayer rosary
(Tetsebi) and other Arabicbooks.

About four months ago, some suspected terrorists engaged the JTF in a
similar gun battle and four of them were allegedly killed at Baddo
Quarters in Wamakko local government area of Sokoto State.

Nairaland