A suspected Boko Haram cattle rustling syndicate was on Sunday busted
by Nigerian soldiers who engaged the armed gang in a shootout that left
three of them dead and a soldier injured.
The group, believed to be Boko Haram herders, were intercepted in
Lingir village of Borno State while attempting to flock some rustled
cows into the Maiduguri cattle market.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Army, Sani Usman, said the armed
herders were attacked by troops of 8 Division Mobile Strike Team
deployed at Forward Operations Base, Mairari, on Sunday. He said the
troops effectively ambushed the herders and engaged them in a shootout.
“During the encounter, the ambush party neutralized 3 Boko Haram
terrorists, while some of them have escaped with gunshot wounds,” Mr.
Usman, a brigadier general said.
“The troops recovered 5 AK-47 rifles, 5 Magazines, 11 rounds of
7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 1 metal box containing clothes and a horse.
“Unfortunately, one of our soldiers sustained an injury during the
operation. The injured soldier has been evacuated to 8 Task Force
Division Hospital and Medical Services at Monguno where he is receiving
further medical attention.
“The Mobile Strike Team also followed up with pursuit up to Buruwa
village around Gassawa general area where they neutralized an additional
Boko Haram terrorist and recovered an AK-47 rifle from him”.
In 2015, the Borno State government in collaboration with the Nigeria
military banned the sale of beef and cows in the Maiduguri cattle
market and abattoir following an Intel that most of the revenues accrued
from the sales there go to Boko Haram fighters. The ban was later
lifted due to pressure from butchers and cattle sellers who vowed to
help government fish out culprits.
Following the control of a large part of the Sambisa forest by
soldiers, the remnants of the insurgents have resorted to periodic
suicide bombings and snatching of herds from poor pastoralists. The
insurgents usually sell such cattle to generate revenue to buy food and
other things needed to survive in the jungle.
The Boko Haram activities have caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009