Boko Haram: Chadian forces recapture Nigerian town, Dikwa

Chadian forces, who have joined their Nigerian counterparts in the fight against terrorist group, Boko Haram, have taken Dikwa town in Borno State, held earlier by the insurgents, Nigerian military insiders have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Dikwa, which is the seat of the Dikwa Emirate, was recaptured at about 12:40 p.m. Monday, our sources said.

The town is about 80km east of Maiduguri and 50 km to the Gamboru Ngala border between Nigeria and Cameroun.

The Chadian forces were given permission to cross into Nigeria, our sources explained, following a February 6 meeting “between Nigeria’s defence chief and his Chadian counterpart where it was agreed that both countries’ army and Airforce can engage Boko Haram targets in each other’s territory but that such operation should be communicated to the other country before the operation commences”.

While the Chadian Forces were taking control of Dikwa, the Nigerian Army was equally pushing the terrorists “from Maiduguri towards Dikwa and Monguno towards Dikwa”.

“The operation is highly successful,” one of our sources said.

Taking Dikwa is the latest blow against the Boko Haram sect, which has lost several territories to the Nigerian military in the last three weeks.

The group is responsible for more than 15,000 deaths.

The Nigerian Army has said its immediate target is to recapture Gwoza and Bama, two key towns held by Boko Haram.

Earlier on Monday, the military said it flushed out terrorists operating in KukawaGeri, a community in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

In a tweet on its official page, the Defence Headquarters said troops have taken control of operations in the community.

The DHQ also said cordon and search operations were ongoing in the area.

FLASH: Troops are dominating OPs in #KukawaGeri, #Gubja in #YOBE, Rid of terrorists on Sunday. Cordon & Search ongoing there now #NeverAgain

— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) March 2, 2015

Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan in company of the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, all service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, visited some of the liberated towns, including Mubi and Baga, last week.

The Chadian forces achieved the feat in Dikwa just as Nigerian troops reportedly pushed the insurgents from the Maiduguri sector towards the town, our sources said.

“The operation is highly successful,” one of our sources said.