…Releases photos of 100 insurgents
From Attahiru Ahmed, Gusau
THE Nigerian Army said it killed no fewer than 16 Boko Haram insurgents during an attack on their base at Rann, Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno at the weekend, even as its released a fresh list of 100 suspected Boko Haram members.
The acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman who confirmed killing in a statement said the insurgents stormed the troops location carrying different sophisticated arms and ammunition including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“The terrorists came with Motorcycles Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (MCBIED), anti-aircraft guns and other weapons at about 5p.m. The exchange of fire lasted for some hours before they were overwhelmed by the troops firepower. The troops killed 16 insurgents, seven died instantly during the exchange of fire while nine other bodies were discovered during a clearance operation in the surrounding area on Saturday morning,” the statement said.
Usman added that a number of the insurgents escaped with gun shot wounds, noting that the truck and the mounted weapon were also damaged beyond repairs while five soldiers were injured.
Usman said bodies of the two dead soldiers and the wounded ones had been evacuated to Maiduguri, while reinforcement was sent from Gomboru Ngala.
He said the troops recovered a General Purpose Machine Gun, Rocket Propelled Grenade, ammunitions while two terrorists were captured alive.
Usman said troops have also discovered and safely detonated two IEDs planted along Gomboru-Rann road to prevent troops reinforcement to Rann.
He said the Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion visited the troops and commended them for their doggedness during attack.
The photographs of the sect members displayed outside the entrance gate of the 1Brigade Ammunition Depot of the Nigerian Army, Gus, Zamfara State, were the second batch released by the military authority since the anti-Boko Haram crusade intensified.
The list attracted the attention of residents of the Gusau metropolis who trooped to the Army formation to view the photos of the wanted persons listed 101 to 201.