The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) have eliminated another top Boko Haram commander, Abu Usamah in an encounter on March 22 at Gorgi in Borno.
Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Onyeuko said that the military communication confirmed by accurate intelligence that Abu Usamah was among Boko Haram insurgents killed during the encounter.
He explained that Usamah had earlier sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the firefight that ensued during the encounter before his foot soldiers hurriedly evacuated him and withdrew.
“Nevertheless, Abu Usamah died in the process.
“His death has no doubt created a consequential vacuum in the Boko Haram leadership particularly as the gallant troops remain resilient and continue to rout the criminal elements from their last enclaves in the North East.
“It would be recalled that on March 22, troops of OPLD, while conducting a special clearance operation in a subsidiary Operation called Operation AYISO TAMONUMA, decimated some key Boko Haram elements in an encounter at Gorgi in Damboa Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.
“In our earlier Briefing, we reported over 100 Boko Haram insurgents neutralised while scores of them escaped with gunshot wounds.
