Again, troops repel ISWAP attack in Chibok

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

Troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade, Sector 4 ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ (OPHK), have successfully repelled a large-scale attack by ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.

The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday.

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), whose constituency also covers Chibok, confirmed the incident to our correspondent, saying he received a distress call from one of his coordinators in Chibok. He said two people were killed while a local church was set ablaze in Kwada village.

Meanwhile, sources also indicated that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) neutralised scores of the fleeing fighters during a follow-up air interdiction.

A credible source said that the terrorists launched a coordinated multi-front assault on the community at about 3:00 a.m., attempting to breach defensive locations and overwhelm deployed troops.

The soldiers immediately responded with superior firepower and well-coordinated manoeuvres, engaging the attackers in a two-hour gun battle that forced them to retreat toward the Timbuktu Triangle.

“The troops were alert and professionally contained the attack. There was no casualty on our side, and no equipment was affected,” the source said.

Following the terrorists’ withdrawal, ground forces requested air support, prompting the immediate deployment of NAF combat aircraft to the identified withdrawal axis.

“The NAF jet delivered precise and devastating strikes along the terrorists’ escape route, obliterating a significant number of the fighters and disrupting their movement,” the source added.

According to the sources, four major airstrikes were conducted by NAF combat aircraft along the terrorists’ withdrawal route toward the Timbuktu Triangle. The airstrikes were guided by real-time intelligence from ground troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).

The sources said that the first wave of strikes targeted a cluster of fleeing terrorists attempting to regroup, “achieving significant degradation of the hostile elements.” Subsequent strikes pursued additional pockets of fighters dispersing into forested terrain.

In addition to the four strikes executed by manned aircraft, the sources confirm that another set of attacks was carried out by an unmanned aerial platform.

“The platform maintained continuous ISR coverage and engaged with high precision. Its strikes further eliminated retreating fighters and disrupted their movement pattern,” the source noted.

Responding, Senator Ndume sympathised with the families of the victims and the Chibok communities in general. He urged the military and other security agencies to intensify efforts and restore total peace in Southern Borno and the country as a whole.

“It is unfortunate that I received a distress call from one of my coordinators in Chibok this morning that Boko Haram/ISWAP invaded some communities in Chibok, although, they were repelled by troops, two people were killed while a local church was razed in Kwada village,” Ndume stated.

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