Rann Bombardment: Troops Kill 15 Terrorists, Recover Arms

Nigerian troops have killed 15 members of the Boko Haram terrorists, who were part of insurgents responsible for the mistaken deployment of rockets by the Nigerian Air Force in Rann,.

They also captured one terrorist, suspected to be a foreigner. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, confirmed the killing and capture of the terrorists in Rann on Friday, when he paid an operational visit to troops of 3 Batallion.

Buratai said the insurgents came again to the town in two gun trucks on Thursday at about 6p.m. to attack, but were repelled by the soldiers, who killed 15, while others escaped with one gun truck.

He added that the troops recovered the other truck with weapons, including one General Purpose Machine Gun, three AK47 and ammunitions.

 Buratai recalled that the Tuesday’s incident, the Air Force component of the Operation Lafiya Dole based on intelligence that the terrorists had infiltrated Rann with intent to attack, deployed the rockets.

He, however, regretted that the weapons mistakenly hit IDPs camps in the town, killing over 50 civilians and wounding many others.

 “Two of our soldiers were also affected in the unfortunate incident,” Buratai said. He described the incident as unfortunate and big mistake.

 “We have all learnt lessons from it. “We will take note of this; the issue of coordination and passage of the right information will help to prevent such incident again.

 “It is a mistake which can happen and it has happened in other places.

 We pray it never happen again,” he said. While addressing the troops, Buratai urged them not to allow the unfortunate incident to demoralise them.

 He charged them to remain committed, dedicated and patriotic, assuring them that their efforts would be rewarded.

The chief of army staff also met with elders of the community and condoled with them over the incident. According to the Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion, Lt.-Col. I. P. Omoke, Rann was one of the last towns retaken from the insurgents on March 22, 2016. Omoke said since then, the terrorists had made five failed attempts to attack the town but never succeeded.

Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno, is 175km from Maiduguri and 8km to the Republic of Cameroon.

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A Suicide Bomber Was Killed By Nigerian Troops in Borno State

Troops yesterday foiled an attack by a suspected female suicide bomber, who was approaching a check point located at Kara Cattle market axis, Dikwa, towards Antul and Mukdala, Dikwa Local Government Area, Borno State. A statement by Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said the would-be bomber was challenged from afar by the vigilant duty sentry, but she refused to stop, claimingg to be coming from Monguno to see her parents in Dikwa. It said that sensing that her direction of approach was suspicious and abnormal, troops fired a shot at her. “The gallant sentry was proven right as the attacker was carrying a Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device (PBIED) which exploded with a loud bang, killing her instantly and causing minor injury on 2 soldiers and a Civilian JTF assisting them. “The injured soldiers and the civilian have been treated and have continued with their duties. “This incident has shown that there are a few of the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists that are determined to carry out criminal acts to create panic and insecurity in some areas. “In a related development, there is also very reliable information that remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists now disguise or pretend to be mad men or women in order to gain access to some locations especially in Maiduguri. “Consequently, all should be very wary of any seemingly mentally unstable or mad men or women found wandering and report same.”

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