At least seven Boko Haram fighters were killed on Friday as Nigerian troops successfully halted an attempt by insurgents to recapture Gwoza town in Borno State.
The insurgents attacked the town in the early hours of Friday and unleashed havoc but troops on ground stopped their efforts and recovered the town following a gun battle.
It could not be determined if there were any casualties on the military’s side.
Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri on Friday, the media coordinator of Operation Lafiya Dole, Tukur Gusau, a Colonel, said the terrorist group made “a desperate but costly attempt to attack Nigerian Army’s blocking position early this morning (Friday) in Gwoza.
He said the insurgents attack which started at about 5.00am lasted for almost two hours.
“Although details are still being collated, suffice to state that seven terrorists were gunned down and the following weapons recovered; 1 Toyota Hilux vehicle, 11 AK-47 rifles, 1 Shilka Gun, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 6 Hand Grenades. Others include several rounds of Shilka Gun and Machine Gun ammunitions,” Gusau said.
He disclosed that soldiers were already pursuing some of the sect’s fighters who ran to Sambisa Forest in order to eliminate them, while the Nigerian Air Force is also bombarding their locations.
The army colonel noted that the Insurgent’s ability as a coherent fighting force had been degraded through relentless attacks, patrols and aerial bombardments by Nigerian security forces.
Gwoza town, which borders the notorious Sambisa Forest, was only liberated from the insurgents in March 2015.
