At least 10 Boko Haram fighters were on Tuesday killed by soldiers of the Nigeria military during an ambush at a village near Maiduguri, Borno State, an official has said.
According to the deputy director Army Public Relations at the 8 Task Force Division, Timothy Antigha, the operation was carried out in Maza village of Mafa Local Government Area.
Mr. Antigha said on Wednesday night that the 10 Boko Haram fighters were killed as troops pushed forward “ongoing efforts to deny terrorists freedom of action in it’s Area of Responsibility.”
“The troops of 8 Task Force Division have neutralized 10 terrorists in Maza village in Marte Local Government Areas of Borno State.
“The terrorists fell into an ambush laid by troops at about 9pm last night, as they attempted to sneak back into their swampy hideouts in the Lake Chad.
“Items recovered from the terrorists include 10 bicycles, 11 carts containing food items and 2 cows. In a related development, troops also recovered 50 cows abandoned by fleeing terrorists, during clearance operations conducted in Danari and Mowo villages in Monguno Local Government Area.
“It should be noted that as the noose continues to tighten on Boko Haram terrorists, couple with the wet season, they have resorted to the use of bicycles and charts as means of transportation,” the colonel said.
The Maza ambush happened at about 9 p.m., about two hours after three suicide bombers attacked a village market in Konduga Local Government where they caused the death of about 20 persons while over 80 others were critically injured.
The Konduga incident was the biggest casualty recorded since Boko Haram insurgents resorted to suicide bombings using teenage girls in the past year.
Konduga is about 39km south-east of Maiduguri while Mafa is about 52km east of the Borno capital.
The incidents occurred days after the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, appeared in a new video boasting about his group’s invincibility.