Boko Haram fighting to set up a caliphate around Lake Chad – Multi-National Force

The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) on Monday revealed why a faction of Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has consistently attacked military base and soft targets in the North East in recent weeks.

MNJTF spokesman, Col. Timothy Antigha, made the revelation in a statement, claiming that there is pressure on the terrorist group by foreign collaborators to establish a caliphate.

But Antigha said there was nothing to worry about over that because the MNJTF is working with national forces to curtail the terrorists’ move to make the Lake Chad area a sanctuary.

“It is imperative to mention that the MNJTF is aware of the pressure on ISWAP by its foreign collaborators to deliver on the Caliphate, hence the flurry of ISWAP inspired attacks of the last couple of weeks on both military and soft targets,” Antigha said.

He revealed that ISWAP has been dealt massive blow in a recent operation at Doron Naira.

On what have been recovered from the terrorists in terms of equipment, he listed them to include seventeen AK 47 rifles, two GPMG, one LMG, three AA guns, two 81MM mortar one RPG tubes, two RPG7 40MM bombs with chargers, two boxes of 12.7MM ammunition and 323 RDS of 7.62MM.

Others were three hand grenades, gas cylinders and IED making material, while the ISWAP ammunition dump was destroyed.

MNJTF had at the weekend, said it killed no less than 47 ISWAP terrorists in recent attacks in North East. That came about a week after the terrorists attacked a military base in Borno, allegedly killing a senior army personnel, 24 soldiers and made away with weapons and ammunition.

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Meanwhile, Nigerian troops have rescued 42 women, 51 men and two children used by Boko Haram terrorists as labourers in different clearance operations in Borno.

Col. Sagir Musa, the Acting Director Army Public Relations made this known in a statement, adding that three terrorists were neutralised in the operation.

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