Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The Nigerian Army Thursday said it dealt a heavy blow on the outlawed Boko Haram sect, killing 38 of its members while foiling an attack on Damboa, a town in Borno State.

Spokesman of 7 Division in Maiduguri, Muhammad Dole, a colonel, said many of the insurgents who had planned to attack various military formations and private residences in Damboa fled with various degrees of injuries from the troops of 195 Battalion in Damboa who successfully repelled them.

According to the army, one soldier was, however, killed in the operation while two others who sustained injuries are receiving treatment.

The statement read: “In the early hours (0100 hours) of Thursday 9 January 2014, the insurgents attempted to launch attack on Damboa to cause havoc and mayhem. But due to timely information and gallantry displayed by the troops, the attack was repelled and inflicted heavy casualty on the terrorists.”

The statement further stated that three vehicles – one Sienna(AE 844 DKW) laden with cylinders and explosive devices, one 911 truck (SA 575 BBU) loaded with 200 bags of food stuff and one Mitsubishi canter truck (XD 441 GG) were recovered from the insurgents.

Also, it said a large cache of assorted arms of high calibre weapons and ammunition comprising of General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), Light Machine Guns (LMG) and two AK 47 rifles were seized.

The army added that combined ground troops and Nigerian Air Force aircraft are in hot pursuit for the fleeing terrorists in the general area of Damboa and surrounding village.