Troops kill top Boko Haram commander, Sayinna
By The Nigerian military says troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have killed a top Boko Haram commander named Sayinna and other fighters during an encounter with the terrorists at Kolofata, a border town with Cameroon.
John Enenche, coordinator, Defence Media Operations, in a statement on Sunday said six other fighters attempting to cross from the border towards Sambisa Axis were also killed in the encounter which occurred 17 July.
Enenche recalled that the troops had on 3rd July killed eight prominent leaders of the sect attempting to infiltrate Army Super Camp, Damasak.
According to him, weapons and equipment captured from the terrorists include three AK 47 rifles, magazine with 48 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Honda Salon Car, one motorcycle, eight bicycles, three phones with multiple sims and memory cards and five copies of the Holy Qur’an, among others.
“Additionally, there was also a letter written in Hausa to Abu Fatima (Boko Haram top commander), documents and other logistics. Shortly after the successful operation, the enemy communication intercept confirmed killing of a top Boko Haram Commander named Sayinna and other fighters during the encounter.
“The other slayed terrorists were suspected to be Imam and Mansur to Abu Fatima who hibernate in Sambisa forest,” he said.
The coordinator revealed that the top Boko Haram leaders killed during the encounter at Damasak and buried by the terrorists at Goski village in the early hours of 3 Jul 20 were Tumbun Dabino-Ba Issoufou, Tumbun Bororo-Amir Batam, Tumbun Jaki-Almustapha, and Tumbun Bagaruwa-Modou Kollo.
Others are Dogon Tchoukou-Issah, Tumbun Rakke-Mustapha Woulama, Tumbun Dila-Boukar Kowa and Tumbun Mita-Abou Aisha.
Enenche added that the successes so far recorded has led to several of the insurgents surrendering in their numbers.
“They voluntarily admitted that the insurgency is driven more by need for money, power, greed and criminality and less of any ideology,” he said.