The Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, on Monday signed a statement saying the military had killed 18 suspected terrorits while troops captured more weapons and aborted attacks in the outskirts of Bama and Ngurosoye in Borno.
According to Olukolade, the terrorists were killed during a military patrol over the weekend in the area. He said the troops dislodged some terrorists who were about to attack some settlements.
The troops reportedly destroyed 5 pick-up vehicles, 7 Golf cars and 1 Hilux truck.
“A total of 75 villagers were screened and released in the course of cordon and search in the adjoining communities.”
“The purported bomb attack on a market in the vicinity, as widely reported in the media, is, however, yet to be verified,” he said.
Mr. Olukolade said that 16 AK47 rifles were also recovered in the course of cordon and search of communities, adding that mope up operations were ongoing on Mandara mountains and Haraza hills.
He said that troops eventually overran camps in the outskirts of Gombole, Mele, Kecheri, Dufrfada, Yuwe and others around Mandara mountains and Sambisa forests after stiff resistance.
He said many terrorists died in the encounter while a soldier died and five others wounded.