Boko Haram Deputy Leader, Father and 17 Others Killed

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Boko Haram gunmen

One of America’s most wanted member of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, Momogu Bama, has been killed by the Joint Task Force in Borno State.

It is believed that he met his death the same day with his father,   Alhaji Abatcha Flatari, who based on information gathered is said to be a spiritual leader for the sect.

Momogu, the second-in-command to the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, had a  N25m  bounty put on his head by security agencies for information that could lead to his arrest.

While briefing Newsmen, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.- Gen Chris Olukolade, who confirmed his killing, described him as a vicious Boko Haram leader who took delight in personally slaughtering  the sect’s victims.

In his statement, he also added that  Momogu  was the expert  in charge of  mounting  anti-aircraft weapons for  the sect and coordinating  members  in Yobe and Adamawa  states.

Olukolade said in an electronic mail on Wednesday to one of reporters that Momogu was identified by insurgents arrested during one of the recent encounters between the JTF  and the insurgents in Bama.

He said, “As troops intensify pursuit of terrorists who have been unleashing mayhem in Borno and Yobe communities, the death of Momogu  Bama, said to be the Second-in-Command to  Shekau  has been confirmed by other arrested terrorists. This followed encounters with the terrorists around the Bama corridor.

He added that “Momogu Bama personally led the attacks against troops and innocent citizens in the communities of Yobe and Adamawa.  A specialist in manning the anti-aircraft guns of the group, he is known to be vicious and heartless with a penchant for personally slaughtering and executing  victims.

“Momogu Bama has been a most wanted terrorist with a N25m bounty already placed on his head.”

Olukolade, who  added that  the JTF had intensified aerial patrol to secure  communities  in Borno and Yobe states, said   that  17  insurgents were  killed and  24 arrested during the Bama  encounter.

“Others that died in the operation included Momogu’s father, Alhaji  Flatari, who is also one of the spiritual guiding lights of the outlawed terrorists group.  Seventeen other terrorists also lost their lives in the encounter  while 24 were arrested.’’

He said the JTF had intensified aerial patrol to secure communities in  the two states.

“The troops are continuing the pursuit of the terrorists while intensifying aggressive aerial and land patrols to ensure better security cover for the communities especially in the two states,” he  said in the  statement.

Meanwhile, eight women may have been arrested in Maiduguri   by  the JTF operatives for using their veils to  conceal  guns for  insurgents.

A JTF source, who made this known  did not  say  exactly when the  women were arrested and the number of guns seized from them.

He  stated that the operatives were stunned when they stopped the women and found out that what they were “transporting” with their veils were guns.

He said, “The troops could not believe what they saw. A soldier just suspected the women and decided to stop them but when they were asked to unwrap what they were transporting, they hesitated, thereby making some of the soldiers to forcefully remove the veils. They saw  a number of guns neatly concealed with the veils and the  women were promptly arrested.”

Olukolade  said that the JTF  in the North-East had intensified patrols in the north of Borno where 44 people  were killed by Boko Haram members  during an attack on  a mosque   on Sunday.

He said that the JTF was combining aerial and ground patrols  to ensure effective protection of the communities in the area.

The DHQ spokesman said, “There is a regular and more aggressive patrol in the area; the patrols have been increased with the additional troops that are on the ground.

“It is not possible to station troops in all the villages in the area because they  are very far from each other.The solution is to step up patrols; we also have air patrol activities.”

 

 

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