Boko Haram terrorists capture, destroy police operational vehicles in Borno

Militants belonging to the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jam?'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jih?d, have allegedly destroyed two operational patrol vehicles the group captured from the Nigeria Police Force.

According to ISWAP in a statement sighted by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the vehicles were captured when the group attacked a police checkpoint along the Maiduguri-Chabal-Magumeri Road in Borno State.

Chabal in the Magumeri Local Government Area is about 22km from Maimalari Cantonment, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Maiduguri.

The insurgents also claimed that many policemen and civilians were kidnapped during the attack.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported how the insurgents killed two policemen and a civilian at Chabal.

“We just received a signal that Boko Haram terrorists attacked some police officers at Chabal community. A civilian Joint Task Force member was also shot dead. Soldiers from Maimalari Cantonment, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri have been mobilised to the area,” a military source had told SaharaReporters on Sunday.

The attack happened on the day Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff led Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Awwal Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Isiaka Amao, Chief of Air Staff to the Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command in Maiduguri.

In the past months, the insurgents have targeted security operatives, waiting in ambush for them.

The Boko Haram insurgency has caused over 30,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

The terror group wants an Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria.

The insurgents last month destroyed a newly acquired Armed Personnel Carrier it captured from Nigerian soldiers.

The Isotrex Phantom 2 APC was captured when the group ambushed some trucks conveying Nigerian soldiers at Gorigi, Borno State.

The Insurgents also displayed another modified FV103 Spartan APC it said it captured from the military.