Multi-National Forces Recapture Abadam, Kill Scores of Boko Haram Members

Troops of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), comprised of the Nigerian army and that of some neighboring countries on Friday killed scores of Boko Haram members in Abadam, Borno State, in a fierce battle that ensued with the insurgents.



The battle which started late Friday and spilled into the early hours of Saturday saw the military reclaiming the community that fell under the control of the insurgents last week.

Boko Haram had last week attacked Abadam, killed at least 40 persons and hoisted their flags there after forcing terrified residents into border communities in Niger Republic.

The attack came few hours after the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh announced that the military has brokered a ceasefire deal with the Boko Haram insurgents group.

The announcement has been followed with series of deadly attacks by the insurgents in Borno and Adamawa States, where at leas 60 women and girls were said to have been kidnapped. The kidnapped women were later released by the insurgents, while the girls were reportedly married off to the insurgents.

It was gathered that not less than two dozen corpses of the insurgent littered the bushes around Abadam after soldiers of the MNJTF had succeeded in rescuing Abadam town from the conquest of the Boko Haram.

Military sources said it took a combined force of air and ground troops to send the Boko Haram fleeing, and many others to their open graves.

The sources said the air attacked succeeded in shelling most of the occupied spots of the Boko Haram which forced them to scamper into the bushes where they ran into the ambush of the ground troops, who showed no mercy with their rifles.

The military source who confirmed the “victory” to journalists on phone but opted to remain anonymous in this report said “we have triumphed against the terrorists and more progress is being made towards liberating towns and villages; I can guarantee you that Abadam is now secured”.

A resident of Abadam, Aliyu Goni, who was returning back to his town after a week of exile in Niger Republic also confirmed the incident to journalist in a phone chat.

“I saw many dead bodies as we were returning back to Abadam after the soldiers encouraged us to go back home. There were many corpses of the Boko Haram members in Arge ward where the leader of the Boko Haram that led the insurgents into Abadam was seen issuing orders”, said.