By John Nwokocha
Abuja
Two notorious Commanders of the Boko Haram extremist group, Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib, have been eliminated at Banki Junction road, around Pulka axis.
Both Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib were among the top Commanders of the Shekau faction of Boko Haram, operating in Sambisa forest and its environs.
They have been on intelligence agencies’ watch-list for some time.
A statement by army spokesman, Brigd-Gen Mohammed Yerima, made available to NewsExpress, at the weekend said that the two slain commanders, alongside their bodyguards and fighters, were killed yesterday by military troops, in an ambush at their crossing point, between Vuria and Guja settlements.
This is part of a renewed, and highly-intensified offensive operations by troops of Operation Tura Takai Bango, targeted at ending the activities of terrorists in the North East.
According to Yerima, troops recovered one GPMG, several AK-47 rifles, belt of ammunition containing heavy rounds of 7.62mm, motorcycles and mobile phone, after neutralizing Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib, together with their fighters.
“Psychologically, the death of Abul-Bas and Ibn Habib has inflicted a big and unprecedented blow on the operations of the terrorists, while the achievements in its entirety has further boosted the overall fighting spirit and morale of troops in the ongoing operation Tura Takai Bango,” it was learnt.
It was further gathered that they were eliminated by the troops of Sector 1 area of operation.
“The team comprises a compact ambush team from 121 Battalion and elements of 151 Battalion known as the ‘Gaddafi Squad’”.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 7 Division, Maj. Gen. Abdul Khalifa, while addressing Army Commanders in the Theatre on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, charged them to intensify their aggressive clearance operation, so as to clear Sambisa forest and its environs of remnants of the terrorists and their collaborators.
Meanwhile, COAS has commended the troops for “this feat and other successes being recorded in the Theatre “. The statement reads.
- Gallant Nigerian troops on duty
