After a successful elimination of more than 12 high valued Commanders of the ISIS affiliated Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), 

In a well coordinated ground and aerial strike by the Nigerian military on various locations in the Northeast, the terrorists have conducted two separate failed attacks on Gajiram and Damasak in Mobbar, in Borno state.

The deadly strikes conducted on Tudun Wulgo, Zari and Tumbun Alhaji, Kusuma, Sigir in Ngala and Arijallamari, in Abadam, Marte and Ngala Local government Areas, resulted to the killing of top ISWAP Leaders, a blow to the group’s effort to grow and continue operating.

A competent military sources disclosed that some of the Commanders that perished in the airstrikes included; Mohammad Fulloja 

Ameer Mallam Bello, Ba'a kaka Tunkushe,

Abu Muktar Al -Ansari, Ameer Abba Kaka, Abu Huzaifa, Ameer Modu Kwayem, while Goni Mustapha who was the Chief Imam of the ISWAP escaped with bullet wounds.

Initial reports from military's air and ground artillery bombardment which occured on April 6, resulted to the elimination of two top ISWAP leaders including Abu-Rabi and Muhammed Likita as well as scores of their troops and body guards around the axis of Kusuma, Sigir in Ngala and Arijallamari in Abadam Local Government Areas.

According to the Source, a storage facilities that housed weapons used to conduct several attacks was also targeted and destroyed in the raid.

On April 10, three other terrorist Commanders including Ameer Umar, Abu Ubaida and Abu Salim were ambushed and killed by Nigerian forces on Saturday night around Wulgo / Logomani axis close to Cameroon borders while attempting to attack locals and rustle their cows.

The damaging strikes and artillery bombardment on the ISWAP camps had pushed the SURVIVING terrorists to conduct desperate attacks on a looting mission for food and drugs for their wounded terrorists.

On April 11, the Nigerian Military Shells and eliminated scores of ISWAP Boko Haram on five guntrucks in Damasak. 

Some of the terrorists were hits close to the perimeter fencing, while others were neutralised while attempting to loot food items in a store belonging to the United Nations as well as drugs and ambulance. However, three soldiers and some civilians lost their lives while properties were burnt in the town.

On April 13, after meeting at Garin wanzam, the new ISWAP Commander in Charge of Training, Moustapah Goniri, (Amirul Tadareify), assembled about 150 two set of fighting militants on guntrucks and several weapons directed them to lunched simulteneous attacks on Damasak and Gajiram in Nganzai local government area. 

According to him, the two separate attacks was designed to distract the Air Task Force aggressor with night capability that would be deployed for air attack.

On April 13, at about 1700hrs, the terrorists attacked Damasak through three axes, aboard several light trucks mounted with Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs).

One of the groups attacked the military's "super camp", prompting the troops to return fire. The second group attacked another position along the Maiduguri road axis, prompting the troops to vacate the position,

while the third group infiltrated it through the northern axis.

Consequently, before the militants could completely gain access into the town, the Air Task Force were reinforced to engaged the terrorists. Two guntrucks with scores of other terrorists killed. 

Some of the terrorist still got access to the town burning and looting items before vacating the area. Details are sketchy but battle in troops favour. 

The sources who also provided more details on the second attack in Gajiram said that the terrorist incursion was repelled with warming victory. 

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He said " right now there are bodies of the terrorists littered all over the place. The insurgents are in total disarray and could not evacuate their dead.

David Otto

David Otto is the Director for Stepped In – Step Out UK Ltd and a Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Expert. He is a Certified Anti -Terrorism Specialist (CAS), a Certified Master Anti -Terrorism Specialist (CMAS) and a programme trainer with the Anti -Terrorism Accreditation Board (ATAB). Twitter @ottotgs Email: David.otto@steppedin-stepout.com.

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