Troops kill 3 Boko Haram cattle rustlers, 1 other in Borno

The Nigerian Army says it’s troops killed three Boko Haram cattle rustlers at Mairari village in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno.

Col. Timothy Antigha, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 8 Task Force Division, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Maiduguri.

Antigha said that the troops on Sunday ambushed the insurgents cattle rustling syndicate while trying to cross into Maiduguri.

He said that the insurgents were on their way to the Lingir village market to sell the rustled cattle.

Antigha disclosed that several other insurgents escaped with gunshot wounds while one soldier sustained injuries in the encounter.

He explained that one other Boko Haram insurgent was also killed by the troops at Buruwa village.

Atigha added that the troops recovered assorted ammunitions, dresses and a horse from the insurgents.

“In furtherance of clearance exercise of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, troops of 8 Division Mobile Strike Team (MST) deployed at Forward Operations Base Mairari, on Sunday 8th October, 2017; ambushed a Boko Haram terrorists’ cattle rustling syndicate trying to cross into Maiduguri to sell the rustled cattle, at Lingir village.

“During the encounter, the ambush party neutralized three Boko Haram terrorists, while some of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

“The troops recovered 5 AK-47 rifles, 5 Magazines, 11 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 1 metal box containing clothes and a horse.

“Unfortunately, one soldier sustained injury during the encounter. The injured soldier has been evacuated to the 8 Task Force Division Medical centre at Monguno, where he is receiving further medical attention.

“The MST also followed up with pursuit up to Buruwa village around Gassawa general area, where they neutralized another Boko Haram terrorist and recovered an AK-47 rifle from him”.