Boko Haram: Nigerian Military Recaptures Alagarno in Borno

Closes in on Sambisa forest

The Nigerian soldiers yesterday successfully completed a raid on all terrorists’ camps in Alagarno in Borno State, which is one of the few remaining towns to be liberated from the Boko Haram sect.

This was confirmed yesterday by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who also disclosed that Alagarno is the major haven of the terrorists ahead of Sambisa forest.

Olukolade said a number of weapons and equipment were captured during the operation.

He listed the items capture from the terrorists included armoured vehicles, several arms and ammunition of various sizes and calibres, power generating sets, grenades and Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), bows and arrows, megaphones and rolls of copper cable which the terrorists used as one of the materials to make IEDs.

He also revealed that cordon and search as well as mop up of the community was still ongoing to make the environment safe for displaced locals to return.

Aside being one of the strongholds of terrorists in the state, Olukolade said Alagarno also provided routes used by the terrorists to neighbouring towns and countries.

“The thick forest in the area had made it a safe haven for the terrorists for a long time as the terrain was not easily accessible and it was endowed with natural hideouts from aerial bombardments,” he noted.

In a related development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has continued its aerial surveillance and bombardment of Sambisa forest in their continuous bid to knock off the terrorist camps.

Military sources who spoke with THISDAY, explained that the complete flushing out of terrorists from the area was proving a little difficult because of the large terrain.

“You know that the four local governments areas that cuts across the forest have been liberated and there is almost a daily aerial surveillance and bombardment of any perceived terrorist safe haven. However, the area is too big, as big as let’s say Ebonyi State,” the source noted.

“However, we are close to completing our mission. The major targets have been knocked off and most terrorists have fled,” the source added.