Airstrikes kill 5 top Boko Haram commanders in Nigeria

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

Nigerian military claimed to have killed five top commanders of Boko Haram militant group in the country’s northeast.

According to military spokesman Sani Usman, the security forces conducted airstrikes on suspected militant hideouts in Borno state Wednesday, leaving the militant commanders dead.

The commanders killed in the offensive included Abu Dujana; Man Tahiru, deputy to Boko Haram terrorist group Hisba leader; Man Chari; Malam Abdullahi Abu Sa'ad and Goni Bamanga.

“Video clips obtained on battle damage assessment shows clear success of the exercise,” according to the army spokesman, who said several other militants were also killed in the air raids.

In another statement issued earlier on Wednesday, army commander in the restive region detailed the activities of government troops in the past one month.

“A total of 82 BHT (Boko Haram terrorists) were killed in combat, 630 settlements were cleared while 468 persons were rescued and handed over to various IDP camps within the period under review,” Ibrahim Attahiru, a major general, said.

Lake Chad surrounded by four countries -- Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad -- has seen deadly violence by Boko Haram militants since it announced armed struggle against the Nigerian government in 2009 to create an Islamic state.