Troops have cleared and taken over Balmo forest in a military operation that lasted throughout the weekend.  Prior to the operation, Balmo forest stretching from Bauchi through Jigawa states with links to the fringes of Sambisa forest was used by terrorists as bases and hideouts for launching attacks.

Terrorists and armed gangs operating in the forests were completely rooted out while some were captured during the operation.  Among those captured were two foreigners who are suspected to be mercenaries.    Also captured are several weapons and equipment including power generating sets, communication equipment, vehicles, motorcycles, foodstuff and kitchen utensils.

In another development, over 44 terrorists have died in Kerenoa and adjoining communities, following an encounter with troops who repelled their attack on the communities.  Armed with IEDs and other high calibre weapons, a large number of terrorists had carried out a predawn attack on the communities but met with stiff resistance of the troops.   During the operation, several of them were captured as well as weapons and ammunitions of various calibre.

Meanwhile, troops on routine patrol around Banki and Miyanti in Borno State during the weekend fought through an ambush laid by terrorists resulting in casualties on both sides.  Altogether, a total of 6 soldiers were lost in the various encounters with terrorists during the weekend while those wounded are receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government  Monday said it was getting nearer to finding the over 200 abducted Chibok secondary school girls in Borno State.

The girls who were writing their school certificate examinations were abducted on the night of April 14, this year when members of the book haram terrorist group lured them away on the pretext that they were soldiers sent to rescue them from insurgents. They were allegedly herded into some lorries and ferried away to unknown destinations.

It was early on that same fateful day that the group massacred close to 100 individuals and wounded many more when its members detonated two improvised explosive devices at the Nyanya Motor Park in the Federal capital territory early in the morning.

The suspected co-mastermind of the bombing incident, a deserter soldier Ahmed Ogwuche was traced to Sudan and his process of extradition was still being processed by the time of filing this report.

On Monday, Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC) Mike Omeri insisted that the process of Ogwuche’s extradition was underway as officials of both Nigeria and Sudan were working on relevant papers to that effect and denied knowledge of any court processes initiated against it by any of Ogwuche’s family members.

Omeri who led some other members of the NIC on the regular briefing on efforts to locate and bring back the girls to their families said security agencies have made much headway in infiltrating the ranks of the terrorists are were in possession of information that will eventually lead to the rescue of the girls and ultimate defeat of book haram.

The Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA) said part of the new information obtained about the dreaded group was that it has a female wing.

In addition he said a Boko Haram armourer was arrested but said some of the other information were still undergoing administrative processes and as such classified.

“We will let you know when further actions are taken. We now know some of the female operatives of book haram and some of their armourers”, he said.

Omeri disclosed that a military commander was among the six troops who lost their lives at the weekend when terrorists stormed their camp in Borno State.

Responding to accusations by Chibok Community in Abuja that Federal Government was not sharing information with them concerning efforts being made to locate and bring home the girls, Omeri said “this centre has been open, we have always communicated and media houses have been reporting. But if they want security information beyond what we are communicating, then that is beyond us here.”