The Nigerian Army says the remains of two gallant soldiers, who died in combat with Boko Haram terrorists on Damboa-Biu road in Borno, have been buried.
Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director, Army Public Relations, said in a statement on Thursday that the late two soldiers, who died on June 17, were buried in Gombe.
He named them as Lance Cpl. Auwa Halliru, 11NA/66/10788 and Pte Halilu Aliyu, 15NA/73/0188 of 254 Task Force Battalion.
Giving an update on clearance operations in the North-East, Usman said a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Isah Garba, 20, was arrested at Buni Gari in Yobe on Sunday.
The army spokesman said the suspect was under the influence of hard drugs at the time of his arrest.
Usman said the situation initially made preliminary investigation difficult.
He, however, said that the suspect had since stabilised and had started giving useful information to security personnel.
He also said that while on patrol on the Wajiro-Mallam Kuramti cattle route on Wednesday, troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade discovered an Improvised Explosive Device believed to have been planted by suspected terrorists.
“The EOD team safely removed and detonated it,’’ he said.
He added that on the same day, troops of the 151 Battalion of 21 Brigade were ambushed by suspected terrorists as they were on patrol to Mayanti Village.
“The troops successfully cleared the ambush by neutralising some of the terrorists, while reinforcement was immediately dispatched to mop up the general area.
“The team recovered a 60mm Commando Mortar Bomb, 13 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition and 51 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition,’’ he said.
Usman said that in the Niger Delta, troops of 146 Battalion, 16 Brigade Nigerian Army in Rivers on Wednesday discovered and destroyed a “reactivated illegal oil dump’’ on Sucrucho-Kalarogbana Fishing Ports general area.
He said items recovered included one cooking pot, two storage tanks (iron and plastic) loaded with a substance suspected to be stolen crude oil, one cylinder and a pumping machine.
According to him, on the same day troops stationed at Forward Operation Base Ahoada, and Ogbogu general area arrested a suspected cultist.
“Items recovered from the suspect included local charms and substances suspected to be marijuana.
“The suspect has been handed over to SARS at Erema for further interrogation,’’ Usman said.
He stated that on Tuesday, the combined army and mobile police personnel carried out a cordon and search at Ogbolo-Ogbolo community following a tip-off that suspected armed bandits were terrorising residents of the community.
“Although the suspects fled the scene before troops’ arrival, the combined team recovered two locally made guns loaded with cartridges, and three machetes.
“The troops also thwarted attempt by kidnappers to attack traders at Omoku market on the same day in the wake of a fight between rival cultist groups at Uzochi community in Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers.’’ (NAN)