At least nine Boko Haram fighters, including Amirul Bumma, the chief bomb maker of the terror group, have been eliminated in a fierce battle with Nigerian troops in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, disclosed this on Wednesday in a post on his X handle.
Makama said he was informed by intelligence sources that the encounter took place in Bama Local Government Area during a clearance operation under Operation Desert Sanity 4.
The security expert stated that troops of the Nigerian Army’s 21 Armoured Brigade, 199 Special Forces, the Civilian Joint Task Force, and hybrid forces launched the offensive based on intelligence that insurgents were regrouping in a well-fortified enclave between Sabil Huda and Njimiya, near Alai Dala Stand.
“The insurgents, caught off guard, attempted to resist but were overpowered by the troops’ superior firepower. In the aftermath of the battle, it was observed that the terrorists had brought hospital beds to the battlefield, intending to evacuate their casualties—an indication of the devastating blow they suffered.
“A battlefield damage assessment revealed that several high-profile Boko Haram figures were among those neutralized, including Amirul Bumma, Boko Haram’s chief bomb maker; Bakura Ghana; Awari; Malam Kalli; Malam Usman Bula Kagoye; Ibrahim Bula Abu Asma’u; and two others yet to be identified,” Makama said.
The security expert added that troops also recovered a significant cache of high-caliber ammunition.
Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to retaliate, Boko Haram fighters planted multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the troops’ withdrawal route.
However, the troops successfully detected and neutralized about ten of these explosives, preventing potential casualties.