Barely three days into the full-scale war against Boko Haram, indications are that the Nigerian military have left no doubt about their supremacy over the insurgents.

A report this afternoon by the Reuters international news agency quoted an unnamed military spokesman as saying that “a number of insurgents” have been killed in the North-East of Borno in the wake of bombardments of their hideouts by military attack helicopters and jets." Another report by the Associated Press said the death toll is at least 21.

The bombardment took place at a forest reserve known as Sambisa. AP quoted an unnamed military official as saying: “We are not going to leave the forest until it’s over.”

Meanwhile, a report in the Nigerian newspaper Punch quoted a soldier whose name was not given as saying: “We have succeeded in taking over Sambisa Games Reserve, which the sect had been using as its camp. Scores of people found in the camp were arrested.

“We will interrogate them and those who are not members of the sect will be set free. The operation is being carried out in such a way that there is no harassment. The innocent should not be afraid.”

The paper reported that the country’s troops deployed to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa on the eve of Tuesday’s declaration of emergency rule in the three states have recaptured three of the local government areas where Boko Haram had been in control in northern Borno. The paper did not give the names of the recaptured councils. Areas reportedly under Boko Haram’s control before the military operation launched yesterday were Marte, Magumeri, Mobbar, Gubio, Guzamala, Abadamin, Kukawa, Kaga, Nganzai and Monguno, according to the paper.

Borno is the headquarters of the insurgents whose campaign launched in 2009 is aimed at Islamising Africa’s most populous country of about 160 million people.