Many members of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been killed by operatives of the Nigerian Army on Sunday in Niger state.
They met their waterloo while trying to free their leaders detained at the Nigerian Army base in Niger state.
A defense intelligence officer mentioned that the military had expected the terrorists who met an ambush.
“Though the incident happened in the night, the troops had been anticipating such daring moves and had been on high alert.
It was gathered that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) 401 Air Combat Training Group (ACTG) supported troops from Wawa Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area.
In Borgu LGA is a NAF facility that houses Alpha jets and the A-29 Super Tucanos purchased from America.
Wawa Cantonment, home to the 221 Light Tank Battalion, is located in New Bussa, near the border with the Benin Republic.
The Army base accommodates hundreds of terrorism suspects undergoing trial.
In 2017, the Federal Government announced that around 2,500 suspects were being held at the formation.
In 2018, a special Federal High Court established to try terrorism-related cases sentenced 113 Boko Haram members to prison.
The latest attempt to free those in government custody occurred months after the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja.
With a video, ISWAP claimed responsibility for the breach which allowed scores of convicted insurgents to escape.