Two Boko Haram commanders and deputies to Abubakar
Shekau, a factional leader of the terror group, were killed in successful
military operations at Alafa in Borno on Sallah day, an official has said.
The army spokesman, Brig-General Sani Usman, said in a
statement on Tuesday that the deputies that were killed in the onslaught
included Afdu Kawuri and Abubakar Banishek.
“This is in addition to Ba’Abba Ibrahim and two other
Boko Haram commanders that died after sustaining injuries during their last
ambush at Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno,” he added.
He said five other key leaders of the group and close
associates of Shekau were neutralised in joint bombardment in August.
Usman, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
described Shekau’s latest video in which he taunted the army as an act of desperation
and lies by remnants of the insurgents to instill unnecessary fear in law
abiding citizens.
In the video, the group denied the killing of its five
key commanders and claimed it had wonderful Sallah celebration in the Sambisa
forest.
“We wish to challenge the so-called terrorist leader to
produce the five key commanders earlier killed or the video of those Ameers he
claimed not dead and are still with him.
“It is also instructive to note that Shekau is scared and
rattled by the 40-day ultimatum issued by the Chief of Army Staff to Operation
Lafiya Dole to fish him out,” Usman, a brigadier general, said.
Usman also yesterday said the recent video released by
Boko Haram terrorists was a mere propaganda strategy and a sign of defeat.
He said: “The Nigerian Army has noted that in their
desperation, the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists have released yet
another video clip yesterday, in which they made all manner of spurious
assertions, denying the surrender of some of the terrorists and the killing of
five key commanders, among other lies, all aimed at instilling unnecessary
fears in law abiding people.
“Although the relevant department is still analysing the
video clip, suffice to state that it is sheer desperation and clear signs of
fear as our troops keep closing up on them.
Usman stated that the “two other Deputies of the
purported Boko Haram terrorists group leader, Afdu Kawuri and Abubakar
Banishek, were killed in a successful military operation at Alafa on Sallah
day, Friday, September 1, 2017.
“This is in addition to Ba’Abba Ibrahim and 2 other Boko
Haram commanders that died after sustaining injuries during their last ambush
at Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.
“We wish to challenge the so-called terrorist leader to
produce the five key commanders earlier killed or the video of those Ameers he
claimed not dead and are still with him.
“It is also instructive to note that Shekau is scared and
rattled by the 40-day ultimatum issued by the Chief of Army Staff to the
Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole and hiding from one hole to another,
like the bush rat that he really is,” said Usman.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday gave
heroic burial to its late Instructor Pilot, Group Captain Adanu Gabriel Ochai,
who lost his life in an air mishap involving a NAF Air Beetle aircraft on 24
August 2017 in Kaduna.
The late senior officer was laid to rest at the National
Military Cemetery in Abuja.
Speaking at the burial ceremony, the Chief of the Air
Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the demise of Group Captain
Ochai called for sober reflection and described it as a great loss to the NAF
and to the nation at large.
According to him, the NAF had lost a hardworking,
committed and excellent senior officer who, during his lifetime, contributed to
some feats in the NAF.
“One of such feats was the successful training and
graduation of 16 NAF student pilots who completed their initial flying training
while still being cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy.
“That was a target last achieved 32 years ago, according
to the CAS. He described the late senior officer as a dedicated pilot who went
the extra-mile to add value to the NAF. Air Marshal Abubakar, assured the
immediate family of the deceased that they remained a part of the Air Force
family and would be so treated,” he said.
Paying the last tributes on behalf of the Ochai family,
the elder brother of the deceased senior officer, Brigadier General John Ochai,
expressed appreciation to the NAF for honouring his late brother with a
national burial.
He described his late brother as one who always loved
service more than self.
He stated that his late brother had great plans for his
family. He therefore pledged that with God’s assistance, he would ensure that
no vacuum was left as a result of the death of his brother.
Earlier in his remarks, a course mate and close friend of
the departed senior officer, Group Captain Olufemi Ogunsina, also extolled the
virtues of the late instructor pilot, noting that he died while doing what he
was passionate about.
The burial ceremony was attended by the acting Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, who represented the minister, top
government officials, current and past service chiefs, several serving and
retired senior military officers, members of the diplomatic corps, eminent
civilians, relatives and friends.
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