A bomb making factory was discovered and destroyed by troops from 155 Task Force Battalion, 21 Brigade, last Thursday during clearance operations in Wulwuta village, Bama local government area of Borno State, the Nigerian Army has said.

Nine of the insurgents were killed while one soldier was injured during the operation, a statement issued on Saturday by the acting director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman said.

According to him, 21 persons comprising eight men, four women and nine children held captive by the insurgents were rescued by the troops.

The rescued persons have been taken to the Brigade Headquarters “for further care, screening and eventual hand over to the appropriate agencies,” the spokesman said.

The Army spokesman said that some items were also recovered from the Boko Haram members including a laptop, a solar panel, a pair of Nigerian military desert and woodland camouflage uniform as well as bandolier vest and six ready IEDs pressure plates.

“Other recoveries include a loaded pistol with registration number D557954, 3 rounds of  7.65mm, 13 rounds of  7.62mm (NATO) ammunitions and combat boots, amongst others,” Usman stated.

Usman stated that planted improvised explosives devices on the path of the troops wreak havoc but noted that they were safely detonated by the Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) team attached to the battalion.