Again Nigerian soldiers rescue 160 children, women in Sambisa Forest

The military has rescued more women and children from the Sambisa Forest enclaves of Boko Haram insurgents.

Hostages in Sambisa Forest by Boko Haram

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who made this known in a statement on Wednesday night, also said that some commanders of the militant Islamist sect were   killed during further raids on the forest.

Special Forces had on Tuesday rescued 293 girls and women from the forest in Borno State.

Tuesday’s success had fuelled speculations that the girls, who are undergoing health checks at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, might be the Chiboks schoolgirls who were abducted by insurgents from their hostel on April 14, 2014.

Although the Defence Headquarters which announced the freeing of the 293   girls and women, said it had yet to ascertain their identities, the Borno State Government claimed that most of them were from Bumsiri,   Damboa Local Government Area.

Usman, in his statement, did not give the number of those freed on Wednesday but our correspondent gathered that they were 160.

He said that a soldier and a woman were killed during the operation that led to the destruction of five additional training camps and facilities of the insurgents. Also, four soldiers and eight women were injured.

The troops, according to Usman, destroyed four more training camps, two Armoured Personnel Carriers, two Buffalo vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns, a truck and several Toyota Hilux vans.

But the soldiers recovered one Anti-Aircraft Gun, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one Rocket Propelled Grenade and several AK-47 rifles.

Usman said, “Recall that we promised to keep you abreast of troops’ progress in respect of Nigerian military’s ongoing operations to rid the country of terrorists and their enclaves.

“In line with that, I wish to inform you that in the evening of today (Wednesday), troops of the 7 Division Nigerian Army also cleared several terrorists strong points and training camps within Sambisa Forest.

“The troops have also rescued additional women and children. They have been evacuated to a safe zone for further processing.

Rescued hostages from Sambisa Forest

“During the encounter, unfortunately we lost a soldier while four others were wounded in action.

“The troops killed several Boko Haram field commanders and foot soldiers and destroyed two APCs, two Buffalo vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles.

“The gallant soldiers also recovered one Anti-Aircraft Gun, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one Rocket Propelled Grenade and several AK-47 rifles. Sadly, one woman died and eight other women sustained gunshot wounds.

“So far, the troops have destroyed nine terrorist camps in the forest.’’

He said that the camps destroyed were in addition to four others destroyed by the military on Tuesday.

According to him, the camps destroyed are Wulari Bukar, Gangala, Anguwar Bakwai and Jigide, Kotorima, Lagara Bello and Lagara Fulani.

Usaman said that the   troops were poised to destroy all the remaining terrorist camps and rescue other hostages in all terrorist enclaves.

Again Nigerian soldiers rescue 160 children, women in Sambisa Forest