A top commander of Boko Haram, Abu Usamah, has been killed by troops in Gorgi, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, the military has said.
A statement by the Acting Director Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, said Usamah was among the terrorists killed by troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole during a subsidiary Operation known as Ayiso Tamonuma.
“It would be recalled that on 22 March 2020, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, while conducting a special clearance operation in a subsidiary operation called Operation AYISO TAMONUMA, decimated some key Boko Haram elements in an encounter at Gorgi in Damboa LGA of Borno State,” the statement read.
“In our earlier press briefing, we reported over 100 Boko Haram insurgents neutralised while scores of them escaped with gunshot wounds. This was in addition to several equipment casualty suffered by the Boko Haram insurgents.
“As an update to that report, it is gratifying to note that, own communication intercept confirmed by accurate intelligence revealed that a top Boko Haram commander, Abu Usamah, was among those Boko Haram insurgents killed during that encounter.
“He had earlier sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the firefight that ensued during the encounter before his foot soldiers hurriedly evacuated him and withdrew. Nevertheless, Abu Usamah died in the process.”
The statement said his death has created a ‘consequential vacuum’ in the Boko Haram ranks.
It added: “In another development, troops of 159 Task Force Battalion, Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed in Forward Operating Base Kanama, Yunusari LGA of Yobe State, neutralized scores of the Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State’s West Africa Province insurgents who attempted to infiltrate their location on 27 March 2020.
“The terrorists were severely decimated by our gallant ground troops supported by the Air Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. They withdrew in disarray under superior firepower and were subsequently crushed by own troops.
“Furthermore, during the encounter, several terrorists were neutralised while one Gun Truck and various arms and ammunition were captured by the troops. These include; one DSHK Gun, 2 AK 47 Rifles, 2 AK 47 Rifle magazines, one Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb, 273 rounds of Anti-Aircraft Gun ammunition, 101 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 15 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit and a Boko Haram Terrorists flag.”
