Nigerian soldiers confronting Islamic extremists, Boko Haram in the north-eastern part of the country, on Friday, announced their conquest of the extremists’ enclave in Gwoza.
The announced conquest is coming just one day to the Presidential Election. In February this year, the election had been shifted for six weeks, for security reasons. The Nigerian troops and forces from neighboring countries had then formed a multinational force with the sole aim of rooting out the terrorists from the areas they had declared as their caliphate.
Over the six weeks, the military had sacked the terrorists from their strongholds and retaken the country’s territories from them. The six-week offensive had led to the liberation of territories in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.
The first news came from the official Twitter account of the Nigerian Defense Headquarters.
“FLASH: Troops this morning captured Gwoza destroying the Headquarters of the Terrorists self-styled Caliphate,” the tweet read.
Olukolade later announced the conquest at a news conference in Abuja on Friday. There he told journalists that said several fighters were killed, many captured, and a “massive cordon and search” operation has started to hunt down fleeing insurgents and any hostages.
“Defeated fighters are believed to be heading to the borders, where troops from a multinational force are preparing to engage them,” he said.
Before the collaboration between troops of Chad, Cameroun and Niger republics began, at least 10,000 people were killed. More than 1.5 million people have also been displaces while thousands have been kidnapped as sex slaves and conscripts.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau declared Gwoza the capital of a new Islamic caliphate after he seized the town in August.
Sambisa Forest, believed to be a stronghold of Boko Haram where they have many camps and where they are belived to be holding the more than 200 girls kidnapped about a year ago in captivity has also been bombarded. Warplanes have been bombing the area for weeks. The forest starts about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Gwoza town, which is 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram.
