Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole battling insurgents in the North East on Wednesday foiled an attempt by Boko Haram insurgents to bomb the Nigerian Army base in Sambisa Forest.

A suicide bomber detailed by the terror group to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strapped to his body was also killed as the bomb detonated on him while trying to gain entry into the base.

The troops also destroyed all the criminals’ structures, farmland, harvested grains stored in underground bunkers and one lister grinding machine.

The Nigerian Army confirmed the development in a statement issued on by its Operations Media Coordinator, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu.

The statement read: “The relentless clearance and other offensive operations being conducted by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole against remnants of the Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists under the ambit of a special operation nicknamed Operation Rufe Kofa is gaining traction by the day.

“In a laudable demonstration of bold action in combat, on 24th December 2019, troops of 192 Battalion, Sector 1 Operation Lafiya Dole conducted clearance operations from Madagali through Waga Lawan, Jaje to Fadama all in Madagali Local Government Area of Borno State.

“During the operation, the troops had a meeting engagement with elements of the Boko Haram criminals and a firefight ensued.

“The Boko Haram insurgents were decisively dealt with, forcing them to hurriedly flee the location in disarray. Troops destroyed all of the criminals’ structures, farmland, harvested grains stored in underground bunkers and one Lister grinding machine.

” In another encounter at Fadama Village, the criminals’ flag hoisted on a tree was captured and immediately lowered after the troops had effectively subdued the criminal insurgents with superior firepower forcing them to flee in disarray.

“Items recovered from the criminals include two bicycles, copies of Quran and several other personal effects. Interestingly, no causality was recorded by the gallant troops.

“Similarly, the troops of 151 Bn, Sector 1 Operation Lafiya Dole handed a humiliating defeat to a bunch of Boko Haram criminal insurgents in the early hours of 25th December 2019 while on clearance operation conducted deep into the Sambisa Forest.

“During the encounter, one Boko Haram suicide bomber tried to force himself into the troops’ firm base, but the gallant troops aborted this heinous intent by promptly neutralising him and his cohorts with effective fire in the general area.

“The Improvised Explosive Device strapped to his body got detonated in the process and his body parts were found scattered across the field.”