Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, says the Nigerian Army has completely defeated the Boko Haram insurgents.
Nicholas stated this during the inauguration of the Nigeria-Cameroun Military Joint Mission on Saturday, February 3, 2018, in Maiduguri.
He disclosed that his troops under the operation DEEP PUNCH II had on Friday dislodged and occupied the insurgents’ tactical ground “Camp Zairo”.
He disclosed that hundreds of insurgents had surrendered and several others fled their enclave while over 100 civilians were rescued.
“My soldiers are in the heart of Boko Haram enclave that is ‘Camp Zairo”, the gallant troops have taken total control of Sambisa Forest.
“We have broken the heart and soul of Shekau’s group, taking over the camp and its environs.
“They are on the run and we are pursuing them to wherever they go. This time around there is no place for escape anywhere.
“We had earlier asked those of them that want to surrender to do so and we are still asking them to come out and surrender otherwise they are going to meet it the hard way”.
Nicholas called on the insurgents and abducted persons in the bush to come out and surrender to the troops, stressing that they would not be harmed or killed.
Commenting on the meeting, Nicholas said that the collaboration between the two militaries was critical to the successful completion of the counter-insurgency campaign.
“We share information and intelligence to enable us map out strategies to fight Boko Haram insurgents in our common borders,” he said.
Also, the Head of Cameroonian military delegation, Brig.-Gen. Djonkep Fredrick, said the collaboration would strengthen military ties to enable them win the war against insurgency.
Buhari Defeats Boko Haram?
Late December 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari declared victory over the Islamist terrorist group after Nigerian troops announced that they have recaptured Camp Zero in Sambisa forest, the base of the deadliest terrorist group in the world.
The Nigerian Army later presented the president with the flag belonging to the terrorist group in a “mission accomplished” ceremony.
Since the declaration a week ahead of Christmas Day 2016, Boko Haram has launched a number of deadly attacks in the North Eastern region of the country where the terrorists have murdered at least 50,000 since they began their campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate in the country.
