Troops of the 68 Battalion under Sector 3 of Operation HADIN KAI have destroyed a Boko Haram/ISWAP hideout and recovered three AK-47 rifles during a clearance operation in the Mallam Fatori axis of Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the operation was carried out in the early hours of Friday as part of follow-up operations after troops successfully repelled a terrorist attack on the battalion’s defensive position on July 29.
According to intelligence sources quoted by security analyst, Zagagola Magama, troops tracked the withdrawal route used by the fleeing terrorists after the failed assault, leading them to a concealed hideout at Kaniram East.
The troops reportedly advanced stealthily on the camp before launching a coordinated assault with overwhelming firepower.
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During the operation, one suspected terrorist was neutralised, while two others escaped with gunshot wounds into the surrounding bush.
A subsequent exploitation of the hideout led to the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, 39 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a Tecno mobile phone, a Niger Republic SIM card, an MP3 player and a 100 CFA recharge card.
It was gathered that troops destroyed the terrorists’ camp and set it ablaze to prevent the insurgents from reoccupying the location before returning safely to base.
The military said the recovered communication devices and other materials are expected to provide valuable intelligence that will aid ongoing operations targeting terrorist networks operating around the Lake Chad region.
The latest operation forms part of the sustained offensive by Operation HADIN KAI to hunt down fleeing Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, destroy their enclaves and deny them the opportunity to regroup following increased military pressure across the North-East.