By Yusuf Bello
The Nigerian Military has revealed that one of the top Commanders of the Boko Haram, Abu Usamah, has been killed by troops in Gorgi, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Acting Director Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, noted that Usamah was among the terrorists killed by troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole during a subsidiary Operation known as Ayiso Tamonuma.
Specifically, he said Usamah died of gunshot injuries, having sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter with troops.
The statement reads “it would be recalled that on 22 March 2020, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, 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 LGA of Borno State.
“In our earlier Press Briefing, we reported over 100 Boko Haram insurgents neutralized while scores of them escaped with gunshot wounds. This was in addition to several equipment casualty suffered by the Boko Haram insurgents.
“As an update to that report, it is gratifying to note that, own communication intercept confirmed by accurate intelligence revealed that a top Boko Haram Commander, *ABU USAMAH* was among those Boko Haram insurgents killed during that encounter.
“He 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”.
