Scores of members of the Boko Haram insurgency group are believed to have been killed in two separate military operations by Nigerian troops in Borno state.

In the first incident, many of the insurgents were said to have been killed by Nigerian soldiers who laid an ambush for them between Maiduguri and Damboa in Borno State on Friday.

The Boko Haram fighters were said to be on their way to launch an attack on some engineers who were working on power installations in order to restore electricity supply to parts of Borno State.

The Nigerian military working on intelligence laid an ambush into which the insurgents walked blindly, leading to the killing of many of them.

A Hilux vehicle laden with improvised explosive devices, IEDs, as well as arms and ammunition, including rifles, rocket propelled grenades and anti -aircraft guns were recovered from the insurgents by the Nigerian soldiers.

The IED lade Hilux van, which belonged to the Borno State education ministry had been stolen by the Boko Haram fighters, repainted in military colours and mounted with an anti – aircraft gun.

Two Nigerian soldiers were killed in the incident.

The defence spokesman, Chris Olukolade, a Major General, confirmed the incident although he could not put a figure to the number of casualties

In the second incident, soldiers of the Engineering Corp of the Nigerian Army who had been working on repairs of damaged bridges and demobilising IEDs in Borno State also engaged another group of terrorists in a fierce gun battle which left many of the insurgents dead. One Nigerian is also said to have died in the confrontation.

Four general purpose machine guns, three rifles and two Rocket Propelled Grenades, RPGs, launchers were recovered from the terrorists during the encounter.