JTF captures Boko Haram leaders in Borno

The Federal Government troops deployed to Yobe and Borno have captured some notorious leaders of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, and recovered various weapons.

The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.

In the statement, Mr Olukolade gave the report of a nine-member Defence Headquarters Operational Assessment Team, sent by the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, to the two states.

He said the team visited troop locations in various parts of Borno and Yobe.

“The commanding officer narrated the conduct of the operation to rid the (Sambisa) forest of the insurgents who had made the location their sanctuary,” he said.

The spokesman quoted the commanding officer as saying that some notorious leaders of the terrorists had been captured while some materials recovered in their camp had provided useful intelligence for subsequent operations. He did not name the captured Boko Haram leaders.

“The team was shown the various weapons, including rockets and locally fabricated weapon accessories captured in the forest,” he said.

He said items recovered included a large number of Improvised Explosive Devices- making materials, laptops, mobile communication equipment used for shooting and posting online videos, as well as locally made rockets and rocket launchers.

“Also, seized vehicles of different brands were shown to the team.

“Several vehicles destroyed by the terrorists as well as their tailoring equipment apparently used in producing fake uniforms were also shown to the team,’’ he said.

He said the commanding officer told the team that the unit suffered casualties in men and equipment.

The defence spokesperson said troops were currently engaged in night and day patrols of the area to dominate the forest and apprehend any terrorist who might be lurking around. He said the Chief of Defence Staff expressed satisfaction with the high level of successes so far recorded in the operation.