Troops kill Boko Haram fighter, rescue 5 abducted victims

Troops of Operation Fire Ball foiled the payment of a N2 million ransom to terrorist group, Boko Haram, and killed one fighter in Borno State this week.

Defence spokesperson, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, said in a statement on Friday, November 20, 2020 that troops of 251 Task Force Battalion deployed in Strong Response Area Molai were responsible for the successful operation on Tuesday, November 17.

He said troops acted on credible intelligence to intercept some Boko Haram criminals and relatives of some kidnapped victims making efforts to pay a ransom of N2 million to the terrorists.

Troops engaged the terrorists, killed one of them, and forced them to abandon the ransom.

The terrorists also abandoned their abducted victims, and troops rescued the two women and three children.

One AK-47 rifle and one motorcycle were recovered, according to Onyeuko's statement.

The DHQ spokesperson said troops of 151 Battalion also killed another Boko Haram terrorist during a clearance operation in Zaye Ngusa village, also on Tuesday.

Troops of 202 Battalion similarly killed another terrorist during an ambush operation on Tuesday, while troops of 26 Task Force Brigade in Strong Response Area Pulka intercepted a Boko Haram logistics convoy along Pulka-Sabon Gari-Kirawa road.

Troops recovered eight bicycles, several bags of grains, assorted packets of drugs, and other food items.

"The entire populace of the North East region are hereby assured of the Nigerian military high command determination to finally rout the remnants of BHT/ISWAP criminals from their enclaves in this zone," Onyeuko said.

Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions from their communities since the group's insurgency escalated in 2009.