In separate attacks, troops of the Joint Task Force North East (JTFNE) Operation Hadin Kai have thwarted a coordinated attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a military base and rescued two kidnapped victims in Borno State.

The troops made “multiple operational gains” during the period between July 7 and 8, according to a statement signed by Acting Military Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni, and issued Tuesday, July 8.

On Sunday, July 7, troops of Task Force Battalion 115 in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, rescued two more abductees from a terrorist hideout, Goni reported.

He added that the army also captured N1.2 million cash, which was believed to be from terrorist activities, and food items and other logistical materials, which had been found to support the activities of the terrorists.

The rescued victims have now been moved to a safe place where they are under proper medical treatment and psychosocial assistance, the statement said.

In Ngala Local Government Area, soldiers at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Logomani, Sector One, managed to contain a well-coordinated attack by ISWAP terrorists.

“The insurgents briefly used a part of this defensive perimeter of the base, but the troops quickly regrouped and launched a firm counter-attack, which largely drove the terrorists back and cut them down, forcing the remaining terrorists to flee with gunshot wounds in varying degrees,” Goni said.

“One soldier was killed during the engagement, two gun trucks and some combat enablers were damaged,” he added.

He also stated that the situation at FOB Logomani is well under control of the troops of Operation Hadin-Kai, with reinforcements deployed, operations of exploitation continued, and further measures implemented to further strengthen the defensive resilience of the location.

Other operational results already revealed were the arrest of a suspected criminal in Gombi LGA, Adamawa State, who was handed a ten-year jail sentence by the court; the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 28 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition in 232 Battalion in Adamawa State.

In Borno state, Mobbar LGA, the troops of 149 Battalion arrested two suspects for logistics services suspected of being terrorists and recovered cash, a Volkswagen Golf vehicle, Construction materials and other materials.

During a clearance operation around Wulgo, troops from 24 Task Force Brigade recovered a sack of drugs, which were illicit substances in the process of being transported.

Goni added that six suspected ISWAP terrorists and their families were also arrested and handed over to troops of 192 Battalion in Sector 1, where N1,541,500.00 and two Tecno mobile phones were recovered.

He promised that the Search and Rescue operations would be carried out with commitment “until all abducted persons are accounted for and they are safe and with their families”.

The Theatre Command also cautioned “individuals providing logistical support to terrorist organisations to desist”, adding that “such individuals who are found to be aiding terrorist organisations will be identified, apprehended and prosecuted as per the law.”