Boko Haram's Anti Air Craft Training Ground Uncovered In Niger

Efforts of the Nigerian security forces yielded results on Tuesday with the discovery of a Boko Haram training camp in  Niger Republic. It’s been reported that the discovery was made by the Nigerien security forces.

Reports says that Some Nigeriens, who were alleged to have interrogated some of the insurgents, said Boko Haram devoted the camp to a specialized training for the use of long range anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

Investigations revealed that the insurgents were focusing on the use of a dangerous weapon they had acquired, the AA 12, which is one of the world deadliest shotguns. It’s been said that one of its versions could also be used to shoot down fighter aircraft.

The source said that while the insurgents had acquired the lethal weapon, they had not got the expertise to fully utilize it.

The insurgents were said to be using the weapon “on eject role alone,” which meant shooting somebody directly with it, without maneuvering it for other more lethal uses.

It was reported that efforts made to get the details of the discovery from the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, were not successful. 

The discovery of the training camp followed the arrest of 20 insurgents in Diffa, Niger Republic by the country’s security forces on Monday.

An international news agency, Reuters, reported that the Boko Haram members were arrested while they were planning to attack markets and other thickly populated areas in retaliation against Niger’s support for Nigerian’s battle against terrorism.

Niger’s Army Chief, Gen. Seyni Garba, was quoted in  the Monday’s edition of Le Sahel, a state-owned newspaper as having said, “The bloodbath planned by the terrorist organisation to punish our country has fortunately been avoided.”