Boko Haram insurgents are surely having it rough at the moment as the Nigerian military has maintained the tempo of its attacks on the terrorists.
Just yesterday (Wednesday morning), at least 26 terrorists were killed while others barely managed to escape with gunshot wounds, following an attempted failed attack on an Internally-Displaced Persons camp, Dikwa in Borno State.
This is just one of the cases of terrorist attacks in recent times on the Dikwa IDP camp that is home to at least 40,000 refugees.
Recall that two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in the camp on February 9, killing 58 persons and injuring 78 others.
In this latest foiled attack, one soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), and some IDPs were killed, while an unspecified number of IDPs were injured.
This was contained in a statement by the Acting Head of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who said that fleeing terrorists from a joint operation between Nigerian and Cameroonian troops in Kumshe and Talala appeared to have attempted an attack on the IDP camp.
He said: “Following dislodgement of Boko Haram terrorists camps in the border towns of Kumshe and Talala by joint operations of Nigerian and Cameroonian forces, the terrorists made a futile attempt on Dikwa early today.
“Unfortunately, we lost a soldier and a member of the local vigilante (Civilian JTF) during the encounter, while 3 soldiers and 4 Internally Displaced Persons sustained injuries. A military vehicle was damaged by a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) suicide bomber.
“The troops recovered 26 bodies of the Boko Haram terrorists, while others escaped with gunshot wounds, destroyed 3 VIED, 1 MBIED and 2 Gun trucks. The gallant troops recovered 1 Gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, 1 Dushka Anti-Aircraft Gun, 1 Browning Anti-Aircraft Gun, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Tube. Others include 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 4 AK 47 Rifles, 3 RPG Bombs, 36 Hand Grenades, 1 Smoke Grenade and 8 AK-47 rifles magazines.
“The troops also recovered 236 rounds of 12.7mm ammunitions, 396 rounds of 7.62mm ammunitions and 101 rounds of 762mm (Special), ammunitions. The casualties have seen been evacuated while the troops have been pursuing those terrorists that escaped with gunshot wounds,” the statement added.
The army spokesman said the troops were committed to ridding the general area of the menace of the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents.