by Rachel Ogbu

After an eight-hour gun combat between the Boko Haram sect in Sokoto and a combined team of security forces including soldiers and operatives of the State Security Service, a top commander of the Boko Haram popularly called Buwayayye (meaning ‘The Untouchable’ in Hausa language) was killed while another was captured yesterday.

Eleven people including women and children were also rescued, new reports say.

According to reports, the brigade commander, 1 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Ta’siu Ibrahim, confirmed the operation and one resident around Gidan Dare, Kalambaina in Wamakko local government area of the state, told reporters that they were forced to say their last prayers, as all they could hear throughout the night was continuous gunshot.

“I want to intimate you with our activities within the last 24 hours in ensuring that the atmosphere of peace prevails, especially in this holy month that we are in — the Ramadan period. Despite the fact that it is a holy month, a few hoodlums – to be specific, terrorists – are hell-bent on causing mayhem and destruction, and spilling the blood of innocent citizens,” Ibrahim said.

Leadership reports:

 The operation, which lasted almost eight hours, according to a military source, started at about 2am on Thursday (yesterday) and lasted until after 9am.

According to the source, the terrorists were engaged in fierce gun battle but were overcome, and the forces recorded no casualty. The source also added that the security forces killed and captured the terrorists, including their wives and children.

Briefing newsmen at the Azazi Hall of 1 Brigade, Sokoto Army Barracks, yesterday, the brigade commander enjoined every Nigerian to make peace a priority, just as he assured of the readiness of the security agents to ensure the safety of the lives and properties of all Nigerians, as well as protect her territorial integrity in line with global best practices at all times.

Speaking on the operational method, the commander said, “On a tip-off, we undertook a joint operation in the general area of Gidan Dare, around the Kalambaina road, where a terrorist hideout was discovered.

“Operations began in the earlier morning hours of today (yesterday) and I am pleased to inform you that the operation was hugely successful. During the course of the operation, fatalities on the part of the terrorists were recorded. To be precise, one of the terrorists was killed, one captured, five women and six children were rescued and they are very safe. Two of the women are pregnant and are receiving ante-natal care at the moment.”

LEADERSHIP FRIDAY investigations revealed that the five women were from Borno, Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto states and the neighbouring Niger Republic. Of the six children rescued, one boy was aged 5, and another girl, 3. Two others boys were aged 2, and there was a 4-month-old infant girl.

The slain suspected suspect, believed to be a wanted person, was said to be a famous member of the terrorist group, while the captured accomplice, a male of about 20 years, was alive.

Gen. Ibrahim also thanked the people for their support: “Without the cooperation of the good people of Sokoto State, most of the successes we are recording would have been impossible.”

Gen. Ibrahim  mentioned the items recovered within the household: “ six AK 47 rifles, a pump-action rifle, 13 magazines of ammunition, seven improvised explosive devices, 32 hi-watt (6f22) 9v batteries for transistor radios”.

Other items include an axe, four handsets, 66 SIM cards, three memory cards, 10 Orlando Milk cartons, 56 detonator cables used in IEDs, three handset chargers, N76,685.00, 701 7.62mm ammunition rounds, 13 IEDs prime clocks, an Abuja vehicle plate number (EL 295 ABJ) and a wrist-watch, a copy of the complete Holy Qur’an, a prayer rosary (Tetsebi) and other Arabic books.

About four months ago, some suspected terrorists engaged the JTF in a similar gun battle and four of them were allegedly killed at Baddo Quarters in Wamakko local government area of Sokoto State.