Troops Foil ISWAP Revenue Drive in Yobe, Neutralise Scores, Recover Arms
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have thwarted an attempted Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) extortion operation in Yobe State, killing one terrorist and recovering weapons, ammunition and logistics items during a series of intelligence-led operations.
The operation, carried out by troops of Sector 2 under Operation HADIN KAI, targeted terrorists allegedly on their way to collect illegal levies from residents in communities within the state.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the troops acted on credible intelligence indicating that two Volkswagen Golf vehicles and several motorcycles were conveying suspected terrorists to the Paya Kafiya axis for the extortion mission.
The statement said troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bukarti, working in collaboration with the 27 Task Force Brigade, launched an aggressive fighting patrol to the area on July 19, where they made contact with the insurgents.
“The troops immediately engaged the terrorists with overwhelming and superior firepower,” the statement said.
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During the firefight, one of the Volkswagen Golf vehicles was disabled, while its driver was neutralised. Four other terrorists reportedly abandoned the vehicle and fled into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds after being overwhelmed by the troops’ superior firepower.
A follow-up exploitation operation conducted on July 20 along the Paya Kafiya-Garin Gada axis led to the recovery of the abandoned vehicle and several items believed to have been used to support terrorist operations.
Recovered items included 25 rounds of belted PKT ammunition, one loaded AK-47 magazine, 15 empty PKT ammunition cases, assorted drugs such as paracetamol and nicotine products, as well as mechanical tools assessed to have supported the terrorists’ logistics and sustainment activities.
The military said the successful operation highlights the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations in disrupting terrorist logistics, dismantling illicit revenue networks and denying insurgents freedom of movement across the North-East theatre.
Operation HADIN KAI reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP, in collaboration with other security agencies and with the support of law-abiding citizens, until terrorism is decisively defeated and lasting peace restored across the region.
By PRNigeria
