According to the Defence Headquarters, no less than two senior Boko Haram commanders were neutralised in the previous two weeks by the Nigerian Military.
The military said that they were murdered during a news conference on Thursday in Abuja when Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) troops bombed terrorist strongholds.
He further revealed that between August 11 and August 25 in various operations carried out in the North East, the army killed more than 57 terrorists.
Maj.Gen. Musa Danmadami, director of defense media operations, revealed that the operations were carried out by conducting air and ground raids against the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) strongholds in Borno and Yobe.
The senior military officer named Uzaifa, who he claimed was the “MINZIR,” the term denoting the fourth in line of the terrorist leadership structure, as one of the prominent commanders who had been murdered.
Four civilian victims were saved, he added, along with eight suspected terrorists and four terrorists’ logistical support staff.
A total of 1,652 Boko Haram terrorists and their families, including 320 adult males, 442 women, and 890 children, surrendered to forces at various locations during the period, according to Danmadamia.
“Against August 20, the air component carried out strikes with varying degrees of success on terrorist strongholds in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns in Borno.
“Acting on credible intelligence about the gathering of terrorists at a location revealed to be the enclave of a notorious terrorist being hosted by a top-ranking commander. He is believed to be the ISWAP leader of Sambisa Forest who took over the leadership after the demise of Abubakar Shekau.
“Consequently, the air strikes were carried out on the enclave. Feedback revealed that 25 of the terrorists were neutralized in the strikes with 18 serious wounded. Among those neutralised was a high-profile commander known as Uzaifa, who was the ‘MINZIR’, which connotes the fourth in line of the terrorist leadership structure. Similar air strikes were conducted in the Tumbuns near Lake Chad at a location revealed to be the training camp of the terrorists.
“Reports revealed that scores of the terrorists were neutralised in the strikes. All recovered items and rescued civilians were handed over to relevant authorities while the surrendered Boko Haram terrorist members and their families were profiled for further action,’’ he said.
Recall, on August 8, News Central reported that a Notorious terror commander, Alhaji Abdulkareem Lawal, aka Abdulkareem Boss was killed in airstrikes coordinated by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.