• With ‘Shekau’ dead, military moves to clear other towns of insurgency
Encouraged by his administration’s successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed confidence about the imminent defeat of the Islamist terror group, Boko Haram.
His declaration comes at a time an optimistic Nigerian military is riding on the crest of the recent confirmation of the death of Mohammed Bashir, who was believed to have been posturing as Abubakar Shekau, to liberate more towns in the North-eastern states of Borno and Adamawa, which the terrorists control.
President Jonathan, who was speaking during the South-south Peoples Democratic Party rally in the Edo State capital Benin City, said just as he government was able to effectively address the Ebola Crisis, the insurgency in the Northeast would be defeated.
The President also reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue to improve on all infrastructure in order to give Nigerians good and qualitative life.
Meanwhile, a top security source who spoke to THISDAY on the military’s latest move to rid the occupied North-eastern towns of insurgents, said the mission of completely ridding the country of Boko Haram terrorists would be prosecuted decisively.
The source said that apart from the Konduga operation, where the insurgents suffered their heaviest defeat, military had been engaged in fierce combat to liberate other towns that have in recent times come under the control of the insurgents like Gwoza, Gamboru-Ngala, some parts of Bama, Michika, and Bazza among others.
“There is heavy operation going on and with detailed plan but much of where and when or how the operations would be carried out would not be divulged publicly until there is a substantial gain for tactical and operational reasons,” the source said.
This was also confirmed yesterday by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, while responding to THISDAY inquiries on the update in the North-eastern operations.
Olukolade said that there is a renewed offensive to flush out the terrorists from several communities that had either been hiding or terrorising the residents.
He noted that “despite the progress being made in efforts to decimate and contain them, splinter cells of the terrorist group are still trying to carry out snap attacks on some communities.
“They were however effectively beaten back in communities such as Konduga, Beneshek and Damboa where they made a number of attempts on Thursday and Friday.”
According to the DDI, a multi barrel T55 tank, nine rifles, two machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade tubes and five boxes of ammunition with other weapons were captured from the terrorists.
Olukolade further confirmed that over 40 of the terrorists died during the encounters in those three locations. He said that the troops also conducted a raid on the terrorists’ enclave at Shindig.
In all the operations, he revealed, a total of 11 soldiers died while 15 are being treated for injuries sustained in the battles. He said three are still missing.
Meanwhile, he added, air and land operations are on-going to clear the terrorists from other communities where their activities have become prevalent, especially in the states under the state of emergency.
Gen. Olukolade said he was not aware of the claim by the Cameroonian forces to have captured a top Boko Haram commander. A recent report of the capture of a Boko Haram top commander named Abakar Ali, a.k.a. “Mustapher Umar”, by the Cameroonian soldiers had indeed been widespread.
In a related development, the members of the dreaded Boko Haram terror group have splintered into two groups, which are currently engaged in a battle for supremacy following the death of their leader, Bashir, who had been operating under the brand name “Abubakar Shekau” since last year.
According to a security source who spoke to THISDAY, one of the two dominant groups comprise of moderates, who want a negotiated end to the insurgency, and the second group are the hardliners who have vowed to fight to death in order to actualise their dream of an Islamic state.
“These groups have since turned on each other over two key issues; one is on the right successor to Bashir (Shekau), and secondly, the best approach, either to surrender or carry on fighting,” the source explained.
“It was the hardliner group that later regrouped to engage members of the armed forces in another failed attempt to take the strategic town of Konduga, where they have suffered their heaviest defeats and lost most of their commanders including that Shekau impostor.”
This had earlier been confirmed on Friday by the Voice of America (Hausa Service), which reported that about 30 members of the sect in Madagali, Adamawa state have been killed as a result of the in the infighting which ensued after Shekau’s death.
According to the report, trouble started when some members of the sect decided to abandoned the mission and surrender all their weapons to the Nigerian Army.
The decision, it noted, irked some senior members of the sect who accused the former group of betrayal before opening fire on them.
One Mr. Musa Audi told VOA that the exchange of firepower between the repented members and those advocating for a continuation of the jihad lasted for almost an hour and left casualties on both sides.
“From what we learnt, 30 Boko Haram fighters have been killed in Madagali town after a fight ensued between them over whether to surrender their weapons. They just kept shooting themselves freely,” Audi said.
According to him, there had been disquiet in Boko Haram camp with some calling and agitating for a ceasefire.
VOA said that another resident, simply called Stephen, who corroborated Musa, said already, there is also leadership crisis over who should emerge the new leader in Madagali.
The VOA report added that the Boko Haram camp in Madagali is now split into the two groups.
In addition, more terrorists have continued to surrender to the members of the armed forces following the recent victories over the insurgents in Konduga and other towns in the North-east.
“The terrorists are in total disarray, many of them have been forced by recent development; the successive defeats, the death of their leaders, and Shekau impostor, to abandon their mission of the Caliphate,” the source said.
Source: Thisday
