Military aircraft has intercepted and neutralized 34 terrorists at Mangoro Village, a border community between Kaduna and Niger states.

Military sources said the Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike following credible information that at about 2 pm on 30 March 2022, about 70 terrorists on 40 motorcycles and some on foot were sighted moving towards the Akilibu – Sarkin Pawa Road, near Mangoro Village, scrambled an aircraft to intercept and neutralize the terrorists.

He said, “As the aircraft approached the scene, several terrorists were seen running in disarray on sighting the aircraft, abandoning their motorcycles to take cover within nearby bushes.

“The terrorists were subsequently engaged in different waves with rockets while those fleeing were mopped up with canons decisively.

“Feedback from local sources around Mangoro Village disclosed that 17 motorcycles including 34 dead bodies as well as 14 locally fabricated guns belonging to the terrorists were recovered”.

He however could not confirm if the said terrorists are responsible for the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train.

“It is unclear if the terrorists were part of those that attacked and killed 8 passengers days ago on board a Kaduna bound train,” he said.

The locals while commending the military for their improved swiftness to emergencies also charged them to ensure they apprehend those behind the murder of passengers of the Kaduna bound train. 

The director of public relations and information Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet when contacted said the NAF aircrafts are carrying out series of interdictions in the region and recording great successes.

In a related development, 45 terrorists of the Islamic State  of the West African Province (ISWAP), were killed in ambush by its affiliates, Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad faction of Boko Haram in the North East of Lake Chad, top security analyst said.

The attack according to the source was led by one Mohammed Ari, a deadly spiritual warfare commander of JAS- loyal to the Bakura Buduma, in Yauma Wango and Ngaama, in Abadam local government area (LGA) of Borno State in March 24 and 28, 2022.

The top security analyst in Lake Chad,  Zagazola Makama has obtained a video showing the brutal mass execution of the ISWAP fighters in an operation which lasted more than four hours.

The 6:64 minutes amateur video, shows the  terrorists mostly aged between 15-20,  dressed in a unique attire with their heads tied with red materials.

Before they were killed, Boko Haram disarmed the ISWAP of their weapons and paraded them to a nearby position, apparently a march to their graves, then shot them at close range.

One terrorist was heard saying ‘don’t spare any of them.’ The terrorists later began cutting the throats of the ISWAP, while others were burnt alive inside their Hilux trucks.

The footage later showed bodies lying face-down in the sand and others that were burnt beyond recognition. The Buduma terrorists were later seen celebrating the victory on motorcycles and chanting Allahu Akhbar.

The bloodbath between the two groups of the terrorists has continued to rage especially in the axis of Lake Chad, Abadam, Niger Republic, Sambisa Forest and Mandara Mountain with hundreds of casualties recorded so far on both sides within the last one year.

On February 26, the Buduma insurgents ambushed and  killed one Abu-Sadiq Burubouru,  Gabara/Galta close to Mandara Mountain in the South of Borno.

On Feb 9, another fight broke out  between the ISWAP terrorists and Bakura Buduma faction at Tumbus of  Bazarkowo Island in deep Lake Chad.

On Feb 15, Muhammed Ari, spiritual warfare commander of JAS Bakura faction was declared  wanted for spearheading onslaught against ISWAP in Kaduna Ruwa, Tumbum Ali, Kirta, Sabon Tumbu, Kwatalo and Mardas general area of the LCB.

Commanders who participated in the attack included the Khayd of the Budumas led by Malam Abdul Faruk, an indigene of Chad Republic and his 2nd in Command one Malam Kaka Modu also a Buduma from Nguimi, Niger Republic.

ISWAP later coordinated a reprisal attack headed by  Amir Mohammed Mustapha, Jubril, Muhammed Yusuf, Malam Hassan, Malam Ba’ana among others, in company of hundreds of fighting militants and killed about 20 JAS terrorists in Tumbum Gini, Kiri Kiri and Kwantan Mota.  By Tarkaa David and Francis Okoye, Leadership