By Balogun Damilola
1. The ongoing subsidiary operation in the North East Theatre of Operation codenamed ‘Operation KANTANA JIMLAN’ being conducted as part of the conclusive phase of Operation LAFIYA DOLE is already recording monumental successes. The operation which is being conducted preparatory to the final routing of BHT/ISWAP criminals from the Nigerian Territory by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and coordinated by the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has intensified on various fronts especially within the Timbuktu triangle, leaving the criminal elements and their leadership in complete disarray and thus setting the conditions for the commencement of the final assault on their evil enclaves and hideouts.
2. Several BHT/ISWAP targets were acquired and engaged with precision by Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments of Operation LAFIYA DOLE across the entire Theatre thus delivering accurate fire on the criminals who were seen fleeing in disarray. In one of such coordinated artillery bombardments conducted between 1st and 2nd May, 2020 around the Timbuktu Triangle general area by the Offensive Support Group of Operation KANTANA JIMLAN, 7 Boko Haram Gun Trucks were destroyed while 78 BHT/ISWAP fighters were killed as confirmed by both aerial and human intelligence.
3. Relatedly, within the same period, another successful artillery engagement to Buk in Damboa LGA of Borno State resulted in the neutralization of an additional 56 BHT criminals. Acting on intelligence that a large number of BHT members were converging at the location which they erroneously considered as being safe from aerial bombardment, the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army Artillery Regiments acquired and engaged the location with deadly precision, inflicting heavy casualties on them. As confirmed by our intelligence sources, only a handful of the terrorists escaped the location with gun shot wounds, with little chances of survival.
4. In a related development, 16 high profile Boko Haram informants have fallen into the troops’ dragnet within the last 2 weeks. The arrest of such high profile BHT informants has significantly dislocated the criminals’ information and supply chains and equally dislocating their communication. As the gallant troops continue to overwhelm the criminal elements on all fronts, it is quite apparent that the days of the criminal elements called Boko Haram are indeed numbered.
5. Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai who has been in the Theatre with the troops for the past 5 weeks congratulated the gallant troops for their resilience, courage and dedication to the noble cause of defending our fatherland against the criminal elements. He further urged them to remain focused and ruthless as they take the fight to the fleeing remnants of the enemies of our nation. The general public is hereby encouraged to provide credible information to our Troops as the NIgerian Military remain resolute in tackling the security challenges of the Country.
JOHN ENENCHE
Major General
Coordinator
Defence Media Operations
Defence Headquarters
4 May 20.