Military Speaks On Terrorist ‘Capture’ Of Naval base

The Nigeria military has dismissed a video footage allegedly showing the capture of a Naval Base in North East Nigeria by members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In a statement on Sunday by the acting director Defence Information, Col Onyema Nwachukwu, the Defence Headquarters claimed that ISWAP, in 2018, circulated a similar video, following an encounter with troops in Baga area of the Lake Chad region.

Nwachukwu said: “Apparently, this video, shows ISWAP occupation of a disused boatyard, which is still being mischievously circulated, after careful doctoring, meant to portray a phantom capture of Naval Base, Baga, as if it were a recent victory in its insurgency campaign.

“The video footage is undoubtedly an unclever and amateurish attempt to save their faces, having suffered enormous losses in several encounters with troops in the last 7 months.”

The Nigerian military stated that the terrorists were recently defeated in the battles of Goniri, Nbaga and Gero by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.

“It is worthwhile to recall here, that both ISWAP and BHT have severally suffered defeat during fierce offensive operations and Air interdictions conducted by troops of the Multi-National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) and Operation Lafiya Dole in Doron Naira, Ngouma in Cameroun, Arege, Malkonory and Tumbun Rego, where several insurgents were neutralised, including an ISWAP Commander,” he added