Nigerian troops have increased the tempo of their offensive, killing many Boko Haram terrorists during a recent combat operation along Dikwa-Maiduguri Road in Borno State.

This is coming on the heels of the directive of the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, while renaming the counter-insurgency operation to “Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole”. Gen. Burutai had urged the troops not to wait for Boko Haram to attack but to take the battle to the insurgents’ hideouts.

In a combined operation involving the ground troops and airforce, the Nigerian military mercilessly dealt devastating blow on the terrorists who could not escape during the encounter.

Some of the items recovered from the terrorists included vehicles heavily laden with Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), motorcycles, trucks mounted with Anti-Aircraft Guns, Anti-Aircraft Gun, General Purpose Machine, Gunbox of Anti-Aircraft Gun Ammunition and Rifles.

While reluctant to provide the exact figure of casualty from the operation, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Sani Usman Kukasheka confirmed that recent military operations against the terrorists have been very successful as the terrorists are on the run.

Colonel Kukasheka said that in one of the recent operations, the military attacked terrorists’ logistics base where IED was planted with connected wires traced to a kingpin’s residence.

He said due to recent concerted efforts, roads and towns hitherto being held by Boko Haram terrorists and laced with mines such as Biu-Buni Yadi-Damaturu and Biu-Sabon Gari-Damboa roads were liberated and cleared of mines and made safe for public usage.

•Adapted from a PRNigeria report. Photo shows a Boko Haram armoured personnel carrier set ablaze by rampaging Nigerian troops.