Lagos: The Nigerian security forces operating in northeastern part of the country said a large number of Boko Haram terrorists have drowned in the Lake Chad area of northeast Baga town.
Terrorists met their fate as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of troops on mission to flush them out of Baga town in Borno Statem, Xinhua reported citing Maj Gen Chris Olukolade spokesperson for the defense headquarters as saying in a statement Saturday.
The military spokesperson said that not even the strategy of mining over 1500 spots with land mines on the routes leading to the town could save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops.
According to him, all the land mines were skillfully cleared one after the other.
Olukolade said many of the terrorists died while an unknown but substantial number of them fled with various degrees of injury, in the series of encounter along the routes as troops headed for Baga.
Apart from the five anti air craft guns and the rifles captured from the terrorists, the military spokesperson added that over 34 motorcycles and five vehicles including trucks being used for operations by the terrorists were destroyed in the course of the fighting as troops headed for Baga.
He said the troops finally began clearing the terrorists from Baga on arrival in the town early Saturday morning.
Olukolade said a comprehensive cordon and search phase of military operation has now commenced to enable troops mop up arms and ammunition and also apprehend any terrorist who might be hiding in the vicinity.
As many as 2,000 people were feared dead in January when Boko Haram militants opened fire on villages around Baga, leaving bodies scattered everywhere.
The attack on Baga and surrounding towns looks as if it could be Boko Haram`s deadliest act.
