The fighting on Tuesday and Wednesday around the town of Malam Fatori in Borno state, near the border with Niger and Chad, was the latest in the area which has changed hands many times in Boko Haram’s seven-year armed campaign that has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced more than two million in Nigeria.
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Extremists came to the village of Tallari before dawn Monday, beheaded village chief Ba’ Lawan and his son and then set their homes and others on fire, spokesman Abbas Gavi of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, a self-defense force, said.
Tuesday’s Islamic State communique did not say when the convoy was attacked but claimed it “resulted in killing more than forty and wounding dozens” of troops from Nigeria and neighboring countries.
“However, the terrorists reinforced around border with Niger Republic”.
Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and Multinatioanal Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have captured Mallam Fatori in northern most part of Borno after a fierce battle closely covered by air operations.
A local chief from the nearby Kautikeri village claimed that the attackers also set fire to homes and crops that were nearly ready for harvest.
Boko Haram also claimed to have killed 40 troops involved in the operation, our correspondent said.
But fighters from Boko Haram, which is affiliated to the Islamic State (IS) group and now calls itself Islamic State West Africa Province, reoccupied the town after troops left.
A government statement said Buhari’s offer is a “show of commitment” made to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in NY.
Earlier, the Nigerian Army has carried out a clearance operation on remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria.
Still, attacks have become fewer and less deadly with Nigeria’s military saying they have the extremists on the run.
But Islamic State, to whom Boko Haram pledged loyalty previous year, said militants attacked an army convoy in the area on Monday and killed 40 troops. Shekau, however, has maintained he is still in charge.
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Last month, the IS high command designated Abu Musab al-Barnawi as Boko Haram leader, replacing Abubakar Shekau.
