By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Army Troops of the 21 Armored Brigade, under the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Hadin Kai, uncovered a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and equipment during a recent clearance operation in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
According to intelligence sources, the operation was conducted in collaboration with the 199 Special Forces Battalion, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and Hybrid Forces, as reported by counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama in the Lake Chad area.
The team executed the operation in the Ukuba general area, with the aim of locating weapons and equipment concealed by terrorists. Upon their arrival at 1210hrs on March 1, they discovered that the terrorists had hastily abandoned the enclave, leaving behind a substantial stockpile of arms and equipment.
Among the items recovered were one MOWAG engine, one unidentified heavy-duty block engine, various engine components, one QJC W85 anti-aircraft gun, three PKT machine guns, two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG). one M60 machine gun, two RPG tubes, one QJC gun cradle, and one unserviceable HK 21 rifle.
Others are one G3 rifle magazine, one fabricated 60mm mortar tube and three Improvised Explosive Device (IED) cylinders.
Military authorities confirmed that this operation is part of ongoing efforts to eliminate the remnants of terrorists from Sambisa Forest and recover hidden weapons depots.