By Emeka Okafor
The Nigerian military on Monday announced that its troop have rescued some women kidnapped by members of the Boko Haram sect and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
It also stated that a fierce supremacy battle between the two factional groups has resulted in the death of many of their fighters in a border town between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.
A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said while the supremacy battle between both factions was on, troops of the Nigerian army attacked ISWAP base and rescued women earlier kidnapped by the bandits.
According to the statement, troops in one of its operations along Sambisa forest also discovered and destroyed Abubakar Shekau’ farm and rescued abducted victims.
“A fierce battle between Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) broke out and has led to the dead of many of their fighters. The incident which took place in a border area between Nigeria and the Niger Republic was revealed by Al Thabat, an al-Qaida affiliated media outfit.
“Al Thabat, in a statement, said Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, killed Islamic State West Africa Province insurgents in the village of Sunawa on the Nigeria-Niger border. The battle occurred after ISWAP abducted dozens of women linked to Boko Haram. The group subsequently attacked the ISWAP base and rescued the women.
ALSO READ: Gunmen Demand N100m Ransom For Kidnapped Bank Manager In Warri
“It will be recalled that ISWAP broke off from the Shekau led Boko Haram in 2016, and since then, bitter war of attrition and violent confrontations between both factions have been recurrent. This incident has once again exposed the disorganized and disoriented nature of these criminals.
“The Nigerian Army in recent Operations under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, has continued to dismantle all logistics and operational bases of the insurgents along the Lake Chad Basin axis and Sambisa forest area.
“The troops in one of its operations along Sambisa forest discovered and destroyed Abubakar Shekau’ farm and rescued abducted victims”, the statement said.
The statement, however, reassured Nigerians that the military remained determined to clear the remnants terrorists out of the Nigerian territory.
