Sambisan Juggernauts (Episode Three)
Previously on Sambisan Juggernauts
The time was 2:00pm and the troops headed for the mission in their convoy of four trucks . . . to also join in the search for and rescue of the abducted Chibok girls that had been captured recently and Lt. Andy was among . . That was his prime duty. And he knew he owed it to Dinah, most especially . . Not long after the convoy left Chibok, the insurgents struck, launching their preplanned ambush . . . Unfortunately, Pius Andy was killed in ambush too. Heartbreakingly, he had been one who bore the brunt of the attack and stood ahead to return overwhelming fire on the terrorists.
After this, it was clear to the army that there were moles in or close to them who were tipping off Boko Haram fighters about their plans. Ebuka Mike resolved to personally investigate the matter and fish out the informants for the Boko Haram terrorists.
That very day, a massive campaign still began all across the world for the Chibok girls to be released. Dafe's wife, Rebecca was at the helm of the campaign in her own sector . . . Dafe was headed to Borno along with his new team to begin the main onslaught against the terrorists . . . The effect of the Special Force in the army was massively felt and Dafe knew indeed that he'd joined the war. It was just as he promised.
All that remained ahead of them before the deadline now was the grueling task of the recapture of an enormous town called Bama . . . The ground teams were required to immediately spread out into their sectors for the mopping up and Dafe's squad, Delta 2, was the lead strike force for the central part of the town . . . Secretly however, the terrorists had lied in wait for the incoming soldiers and had planned a very huge ambush for them.
The deadly jihadists were about to launch just as the squad arrived. It was a big trap, the lives of Dafe and his men were unfortunately in great danger.
"Who dares, wins. Who sweats, wins. Who plans, wins. The Royal Special Air Service thought us that. And yeah, its true. I'm in the war. I'm contributing my quota to fight for peace. To fight an enemy unleashed from the gates of Hades. I'm standing on the blood of my fallen heroes to enforce justice for God and for Country . . . even though it'd cost me my life too. I know. And I'm hopeful I'd win. The most painful thing I've found out in life is that peace is very costly. And it requires the blood of good men, always, to purchase it. Even more painful, sometimes, it also requires the blood of Comrades we hold so high and so dear. Unfortunately."
Dafe walked energetically holding his Beryl M762 assault rifle and observing carefully the corners around him with his squad flanked out behind him as they advanced deeper into the town of Bama. They'd invaded the dreaded town after carrying out earlier bombardments on it--just as they'd planned all along--and were required to neutralise any other remaining portions of the Boko Haram elements in it but the solitude and desertion they met in the town after they entered seemed almost unbelievable. They had expected enemy resistances and were willing to take them out but meeting the exact opposite was just too relieving. All that seemed to remain for them now was just the mopping up operations to ensure that there were no remaining terrorists in the town. Their attack plan seemed to be working well.
Boko Haram fighters meanwhile were hiding and lying in wait for the incoming soldiers, making it seem as though they'd deserted the town, so they could launch a massive ambush on them. And they were gladdened as they saw the different squads approaching where they were concealing, utterly prepared to strike.
Just then, Dafe stopped and then took a knee down immediately, quite perturbed, seriously considering the situation he and his squad were in. There was a strong uneasiness in him. It all seemed so strange. The solitude and emptiness in the town wasn't normal. He knew the Boko Haram fighters quite well. He'd studied them and engaged them in previous times. He knew they never used to leave things so easily. They always put up a resistance whenever being confronted . . . except, unless, if it was an ambush.
The solitude the soldiers had encountered in the town was actually an ambush, Dafe knew. They were on the brink of disaster. Immediately he radioed his squad and all other units to hold their positions that instant and remain where they were. Then he advised for the proper procedure they were to take. It was wiser for them to stop their advance and continue with the plan of letting the tanks sweep through the entire town to blow out the covers of the insurgents and ensure the town was actually totally free of any form of ambush--before the infantries would then continue on foot for the mop up.
It was very close, but it was wiser the tanks went ahead and did most of the job. Immediately, the tanks, commanded by Major Abu Ali, took up the front positions then began opening fire--with their smoothbore main guns and machine guns--on different corners and covers which the insurgents could be hiding in. Seeing their covers were already blown and concealment exposed, the terrorists began coming outside to exchange fire. By now, the tank operators where glad that they'd smoked out the insurgents from their hideouts and so rained thorough bombardment on them. The infantries took up defensive positions too and then returned fire on the enemy to support the tanks. Swiftly and effectively, the army outwitted the terrorists and took out scores of them.
Seeing that all possible means of ambush for the terrorists had been cut off, the infantries then moved deeper to complete the assault. The available Delta group under Capt. Garrick and Dafe were able to neutralise the remaining defences of the terrorists while the other regular combatants moved ahead to arrest certain of the terrorists as they attempted to retreat. In all, the mission was a very successful one and by the next day, they were able to relay "absolute victory" to Star One. With a joint effort, they'd drastically relinquished the prowess of the insurgents and that, before their deadline. Dafe's sensitivity and wisdom was a major saving factor.
In every event, the presence of the special forces in the war was highly felt and appreciated. Regular military units couldn't really tackle terrorism/guerilla warfare well as much as the special forces could being that they were majorly trained for symmetric engagements and conventional warfare. The special forces whereas were specially crafted for counterterrorism and other more technical operations so were vital in those initial assaults against the terrorists though the assaults bordered on conventional conquest patterns.
There was enormous joy and appreciation at the success and victory of the mission and all other ones which the special forces had been involved in too. Borno had been entirely captured and wrested from Boko Haram but in it all, Dafe knew he was standing in the shoes, resting on the blood, of those combatants who had given their lives in the past for the possibility of such successes. He would never let their deeds die but he would always keep on fulfilling his duty which he owed them.
Dafe knew. He had rightly avenged Andy.
April 15th 2016.
"Hey, baby, how are you doing?" Rebecca asked on the phone discussing with Dafe. It was 10:00pm on a breezy evening and was the time for their routine night calls.
"Hey. I'm good," Dafe replied softly with a smile, already lying on his camp bed in his cabin. It was quiet in their Chabbol base camp, near Maiduguri, and apart from the guards patrolling outside, it seemed everyone else had slept. "Missed you today, love."
Rebecca gave a short sigh. "I really do too. Guess we'll just continue holding up."
"Yea. Can't wait to see you, babe. Put you in my arms, enjoy your love."
"When are you going to return?"
"Don't know. Guess till the war ever ends." Dafe chuckled. "Should be home soon for a break though. But we got lot of missions. We got a special one tomorrow too."
"As always," Rebecca replied quite saddened and feeling all alone. For over a year, Dafe had been deployed to the north east to fight the Boko Haram insurgency, and she was longing to see him daily. "Just hang in there for me, Dafe. Don't leave me."
"I'll make sure. Thought of you keeps me alive, you know."
"I'll keep on trusting."
Since early 2015 when Dafe had been deployed there, he'd witnessed the deaths of many other soldiers in the war. But like he meant, the joy and thought of Rebecca was part of what kept him alive. There had been relative peace in the State since the troops cleared out the terrorists from the towns they captured the previous year. A new Army Chief, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, had stepped in to enforce order launching a new overall tactical warfare against the terrorists which was codenamed Operation Lafiya Dole--Hausa for "Peace by Force"--to replace the former operation.
After that, life was almost returning to normal--although the terrorists kept on striking pockets of attack--most of which were suicide bombings in crowded places, operating from their hideouts and last main strongholds at the Sambisa forest. The next day, Dafe and his squad had a special mission of launching a surprise attack on a hideout camp of the terrorist sect in a nearby Alafa town, just before an invasion force was to begin its operations.
Early the next morning, troops were already being mustered in their camp and the closeby ones for the clearing mission they had that day and Dafe's team, Delta 2, was required to precede the rest to launch own special mission first. They were to get to the battle zone a few hours before the main assault, head to high ground to carry out special reconnaissance on the activities of the Boko Haram hostiles to avoid any of their ambushes and then serve as overwatch and a flanking support to counter their attack and expose their tactics while the regular troops and tanks moved in for the main invasion. The overall Operation had been codenamed, "Crackdown", designed to act towards the terrorists as the name implied.
Delta 2 team got to their AO in the town soon enough, donned in the Army's desert digital camo and arriving in a Cobra armoured Infantry Vehicle, and then set up their equipment on the roof of an abandoned three-storey building that was sufficiently overlooking the large site of the terrorists' camp that was about 300m away. Dafe and his closest aide, Josh, were in charge of the squad and provided them necessary advise and instructions from the command and other units involved in the mission. The main overwatch sniper was Osaren--"Gether"--supported by Abraham, a second sniper, with their Alex-338 sniper rifles, while Dasuki was a spotter for them equipped with long-range scope. Hinbari, the Storm, set up machine guns with belt ammunition as usual and Arinze was reserved with explosives--RPGs and hand grenades. It was going to be majorly a special sniping and support mission for the team and they were fully prepared.
"Er . . . Lt., think they got any surprises for us today?" Josh asked Dafe as all of them took up their respective positions. Josh, a Second-Lieutenant, was about same age and height with Dafe, darker and slightly slimmer, but with a strong and energetic countenance.
Dafe hummed. "Colin Powel once said, "no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy". If you think you're going into the enemy territory to attack him and wouldn't face surprises always . . . I'm sorry, man."
"Leave 'em to me, boss," Osaren, with his trademark of always wearing a camo facecap backwards even while others wore helmets, told Dafe quite confidently. "I'm set to unleash counter-surprise on them." Osaren's previous records of accurate and excellent sniping were almost unrivalled in the entire Battalion and he was always admired by others.
"Hey, Gether. This would do." Hinbari told him lifting his own machine gun, quite eager for a showdown.
"I admire your courage, guys," Dafe told them. "In the meantime we wait for those buggers until the right time to unleash hell. Lock and load, guys."
"Roger that." They replied.
After about two hours of scanning the entire sectors and detailedly observing the activities of the terrorists in their hideout, with no obvious plot of an ambush in view, the team gave the green light for the invasion force--who were already incoming--to move in. There was a standby air support for the mission too--an Alpha Jet with "War Wings" as its callsign. The entire Division's commander, Major General Ezugwu, was onboard the jet to also monitor the mission. The 272 Tank Battalion with T-72s (dubbed "War Rhinos") was as usual the spear of the invasion team and apart from being fully prepared with their respective duties, all the units were practically anxious though optimistic and confident for the victory. Most especially, they were hoping there wouldn't be any form of insurmountable ambush in this mission.
By the time the tanks began arriving with ground teams the size of a Company split in different armoured carriers, Delta 2 began their initial strike. Taking out the hostiles immediately who were still parading their site, precise and proficient Osaren launched the attack with a strong surprise accompanied by Abraham. Quickly, most of terrorists went for cover seeing many of their team members fall rapidly and surprisingly. At the next instant, the T-72 tanks broke into the enemy site and began launching rounds on their covers then the infantries advanced too from different flanks to attack. The Alpha Jet flew overhead to launch strikes on smoke markings placed on enemy locations and resistance and to also take out the fleeing hostiles.
The terrorists retreated deeper into their camp and then tried to regroup fiercely, rolling out about a dozen technicals (gun trucks) along with a Vickers tank. Delta 2 kept on launching their supportive fires on the Boko Haram hostiles but just then, from nowhere, a lethal round of RPG struck on the top spot--the roof--the team were attacking from. The RPG exploded just on the parapet of the roof and the entire team was scattered, fallen in disarray, with rubbles all around them.
It seemed Dafe awoke from an unconscious state as he lifted his head to see his entire squad; Josh, Osaren, Hinbari and the rest scattered on the floor with their weapons all around. He could hardly hear anything other than an humming sound of blankness rocking in his ears. He could hardly believed it. The RPG had struck close to them, they'd actually been taken by surprise and he could have almost died. His heart pounded heavily and frenziedly but he immediately got up to raise his team members too.
"Stand up!" Dafe screamed as the other team members managed to get up too, dusting themselves with same humming blank sound in their ears. Soon, they all got up but Abraham was already bleeding with a cut on his hand. A couple of the team members gave him support.
"Those bastards!" Osaren muttered feeling a swell of anger in his heart reminiscing the explosion that just occured. Immediately he began to return fire right there on the roof and snipe more of the terrorists all over below them. Arinze also began launching explosives too on them while the remaining team members joined in the attack--much more determined and fierce now.
Just then a technical--a van fitted with a machine gun--belonging to the terrorist also began to fire on the roof where Delta 2 was. Immediately, all the team members ducked and laid down to avoid the incoming rapid fire that was suppressing them. It continued for about three minutes more. By now, the entire team was filled with anxiety and frustration. They could lose their lives in the attack any minute.
Filled with anger, Dafe radioed Abu Ali, the tank Battalion commander for tank support against the technical that was raining fire on them below. "War Rhino 1-1, we have supressing enemy fire on our zero, the high ground, north of you. Requesting immediate assistance to take out the technical!"
"I've got you," Abu Ali, in the lead T-72, replied to Dafe and then commanded his gunner to aim the tank's gun on the hostile that was controlling the technical. Immediately, the tank fired on the technical and destroyed it along with the other hostiles that were around it as it exploded. After that, Abu Ali focused his attack on the enemy Vickers tank that was also attacking the other Nigerian troops.
Sending another tank to flank it, Abu Ali ordered his driver to go on ahead against the enemy tank for an engagement. The flanking tank pushed the enemy tank deeper into a corner and then Abu Ali's tank raced straight towards it until he gave the command to fire on it. After about three frantic shots, the enemy tank was put out of action and then caught fire. Abu Ali was gladdened and then immediately kept on concentrating his fire upon more enemy resistances such as other technicals and then eventually took them out. His swiftness and skill had saved lives and helped in neutralising the entirety of the enemy's onslaught.
Delta 2 resumed in providing the needed support of overwatch and counterattacks as the battle continued. At the end the entire mission was hugely successful with no casualties recorded however that day, the most celebrated combatants were the team members of the tank Battalion who fought very valiantly, bore the fierce heat of the battle, did most of the job and provided the entire army with absolute and irrefutable victory. Dafe and his team knew they indeed owed their lives in appreciation to them.
Abu Ali, already promoted to a Lt. Col., was the slim and young intelligent tank Battalion commander whose effect in the war had been felt heavily since 2015 when he began to do most of the jobs with the tanks for recapturing the towns and he'd been awarded by the Army Chief for excellence. Realising the large feat achieved by the commander that day, the entire army celebrated him due to the valour he'd also displayed. He was a Comrade. He was a true hero. And he had saved and helped the entire army just like previous times and his presence was greatly cherished. He definitely would be needed for the upcoming battles in order to totally annihilate Boko Haram.
Not far from where he was was a little group of the Chibok girls who'd been abducted since about two years. Dinah was among them and they were out in the open sitting on grass under a tree while they were tasked to pick a bag of beans which the terrorists used for their consumption.
Dinah had been really devastated and heart-shatttered that they'd remained there for two hellish years without any significant rescue attempt for them. She was aware that the government, the army and other international groups had been making attempts to rescue them or negotiate their release--as they'd been informed by Shekau--but she couldn't just believe that they'd spend that long in the camp of "devils" who were maltreating them daily. A large portion of the girls had been married off at different times to several of the terrorists, a few had died, some had escaped or were rescued, while those who still remained were tasked with several chores to do for the terrorists and many times raped painfully. Dinah's heart was bleeding and she knew that life would never remain the same to her again.
"Dry your tears, Dinah," Amina, one of the elderly girls among them, about 21 now, advised her compassionately. Together they had bonded and had been soul sisters whose hearts were knit tightly and srongly since the incidence happened. Immediately, the group of girls, about ten of them, began to sing a song in their local dialect that offered them comfort whenever memories of their chaotic situation rose up. Dinah wiped her tears and later on, all of them could feel hope rising again gently in their hearts. They would live together amd endure amidst the evil they were passing through. But they were optimistic that rescue was on its way and very soon.
Shekau was getting frustrated of the entire situation and tensions he was already facing in the sect. He was a strong proponent for carrying out attacks on the general population of people regardless of who they were, Muslims or not. Whereas another faction of the sect were totally against that and felt it was against the ideals of other Islamic State groups especially in the Middle East. They felt attacks should have been concentrated on military or government targets. And so the tensions in the sect kept on escalating causing a strong division among them.
By July, that same year 2016 however, with the intervention of ISIS who was already alleged with them, the Boko Haram sect split into two, the new one dubbed, "the Islamic State, West African Province" (ISWAP) and its new leader was Khalid Al-Barnawi who had strong ties with AQIM in Algeria alongside Mamman Nur who masterminded the 2011 Abuja bombing.
Most of Shekau's actions and operations had been to consolidate with the top terrorist organization, al-Qaeda, and even with Osama Bin Laden then, the group's head as at 2011 (Boko Haram letters had been recovered from his compound when he was killed by US forces that year). However, al-Qaeda also debunked Shekau's way of doing things and refused to acknowledge him and so ISWAP became fully detached from Boko Haram and properly backed by ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi. Straightaway ISWAP began their previously anticipated missions of attacking military targets and rapidly, the difficulty of the situation of things grew for the Nigerian military.
By October, the military high command along with its sister agencies and all other proficient units was already planning a last major and secret operation to attack the Camp Zero stronghold in Sambisa Forest in order to totally dislodge the terrorists and recover the rests of the abducted Chibok girls. Sambisa Forest was very large, more than 600sqkm, and heavily mined all-round. Since mid 2015, the Army had been attacking it with over 17 Boko Haram camps destroyed, so the task to sweep the entire forest at once and rescue the girls was enormous. That same month though, 21 of the girls were freed by Boko Haram with 82 more on the way after there were negotiations between the group and the Nigerian government brokered by International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government.
Dinah was among them luckily, but life like she'd known it in the past times was never same again. With the interests of many international bodies, the girls were properly taken care of with proper reorientation programme and flown to the US to continue their education there. It would take more time for her heart to heal. It was cursing the terrorists who'd jeopardized life for her and she was sure they'd meet their destructive fate later on. They'd meet their waterloo.
In Mallam-Fatori, a northern town in Borno, close to the Lake Chad, on November 4th, Lt. Col. Abu Ali was on a mission to also clear out a specific Boko Haram hideout in the town before the major offensive against Sambisa Forest would kick off and he was to withdraw to it soon.
That very Friday evening, the terrorists had attempted to overrun the town--in their large number of about 60 and heavily armed with Anti-tank weapons, AA guns, GPMGs and AK-47s--but Abu Ali had repelled them and returned massive fire with his T-72. Clearing out most of them and returning calmness, Abu Ali later on disembarked from his tank and moved ahead with some of his soldiers to carry out necessary mop up to ensure there weren't any hostiles again hiding in the surroundings to carry out further ambush.
Certain that the environs were clear of them, Abu Ali with the soldiers began to return to their position. Unknown to them however, a new set of Boko Haram fighters, emerged from nowhere as they were heading back to their position and opened fire on them. Unfortunately Abu Ali, along with six soldiers, were killed.
The hero that had turned the tide of the war around, become a terror to the enemies, saved many lives and borne the crux of the battle--still needed for upcoming battles--was no more. As the news of his death spreadt to the entire army and country, many paid their deepest respect to him. But he had indeed served his country. In his last words, "if anyone is to die, let me be the one."
Indeed, a man of valour and a Comrade, the "Chief Warrior", had painfully paid the price for freedom and peace with his blood.
On a sunny morning in the port of Calabar, southern Nigeria, ships and light vessels were docking and sailing with the regular diversities that used to take place daily in the commercial Crossriverine city.
Aboard a Nigerian Navy warship, NNS Centenary, that was also sailing nearby on the Atlantic Ocean, a call came in to the ship's Captain from the Defence Intelligence Agency at Abuja through the Naval Command.
The DIA had received intel that a suspicious cargo ship arriving from France, carrying lethal technical element to be supplied to Boko Haram terrorists had docked in Calabar's port that very morning and so they relayed the information to Captain Ukpong, the ship's CO who was already close to the port, in order to intercept the cargo ship and carry out a VBSS (Visit, Board, Search & Seizure) operation, also arresting the suspects on board. Immediately, Captain Ukpong dispatched a "Tombstone" squad of the Navy's Special Boat Service who were already stationed on the Centenary , for the mission.
The Tombstone squad of eight guys was headed by Samuel Fola, a Sub Lieutenant, the close friend of Dafe. Immediately the team, geared in their maritime camo with black frag jackets and helmets and equipped with Tavor 21 assault rifles, took off swiftly in a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) from the NNS Centenary, heading to the location of the cargo ship, where they'd tracked it to. The Intel reported that the suspected cargo ship, named Tereos, headed from France and on board it was a lethal equipment ordered by the Boko Haram terrorists; an M270 Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) along with a French engineer who was in charge of the underworld supply.
The MLRS is a vehicle, fifty times deadlier than a main battle tank, with grid system launchers that could lethally launch up to 12 explosive rocket rounds in less than 40 seconds and with an operational range of over 50km. The Boko Haram terrorists had ordered for it from a secret underworld arms-supplying organization in France known as Davignon and needed the MLRS to serve as a major defense system, a lethal all-round "catapult", for their stronghold in the Sambisa Forest against any incoming army forces including aircrafts that attempted to attack them. They could even target military bases in the state within the rockets' range. The DIA knew the military high command was planning a massive invasion of the stronghold in the Sambisa Forest. And so any possibility of the MLRS reaching the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists in the north before the invasion would result to be very deadly and utterly cripple their planned invasion.
The Tereos ship's crew had been bribed to transport the MLRS in a container from France to Nigeria via the Atlantic. And the French engineer in charge of the supply and technical setup, liasing with Boko Haram, was a man known basically as "Antoine" whom they nicknamed as "Rocket-maker". Aware that the military's invasion of Sambisa Forest was very close, the DIA had to alarm the military forces immediately as soon as the cargo ship docked in Calabar port and so the SBS team was dispatched from the Centenary to intercept it and seize the lethal equipment. As at now the tensions and franticness in the military was very high. The MLRS needed to be captured that same day otherwise the situation of jeopardy on the entire country would drastically heighten.
Fola was very determined. Leading his team and receiving the info and objective briefing about their delicate mission, he knew he was required to grant his best decisions and resolve with proactiveness. There wasn't any room for mistake. He was prepared to tackle the suspects and seize and hand over the hostile MLRS to the right authority alongside his commandos. Swift, versatile and elite, these Navy SBS commandos had been trained tactically in special operations like amphibious combats, CT and counter-piracy, S & R (hostage rescue), Intelligence, Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and VBSS coupled with physical endurance tests of survival swimming, rigorous physical workouts, combat diving, and more.
After about 12 minutes of speeding, the team's RHIB reached the expected pier in the port the Tereos had docked at. Swiftly, the commandos moved to board the ship and cut any ongoing offloading on it whilst prepared for enemy resistance. About three of them stayed outside the ship while the other five moved in to apprehend the crew and search the cargo. The crew didn't offer any form of resistance and so were held easily by the team but surprisingly, there seemed not to be any cargo aboard the ship, neither was there any "Antoine".
Perplexed, the commandos searched all the crannies of the ship, within and without, but there wasn't any sign of a container or cargo aboard it. Fola had to interrogate the crew quickly again to ascertain what he was facing. Soon, it was clear to him and his team that another ship belonging to the Tereos shipping line had actually docked the previous day in that same port but had also departed in the evening. It apparently was the one which the hostile cargo had been on and must have offloaded its cargo to be transported to its final destination. Now sweat trickled down Fola's face. He was really anxious and perturbed hearing that information. He knew with no doubt that the hostile cargo must have been on its way already to Boko Haram's base in Borno. Their Intel wasn't just exactly accurate for them to intercept it. Quickly, he radioed the NNS Centenary to inform of the situation.
"Negative cargo, Centenary. The Tereos here is clean." It was quite unfortunate, but the Tombstone squad had to return back to the ship without apprehending the enemy cargo and the Navy had to inform the DIA of the perilous situation.
A heavier duty lied on their hands now. The cargo was still at large and could be anywhere already.
The franticness in the entire military increased now. Their blood was racing high. If the cargo got to the terrorists, the situation would turn black and entirely hopeless for both the military and entire country with the potential of massive destruction and Boko Haram would undoubtedly resurrect with a deadlier strain. There was need to ensure that the offered labours and painful martyrdom of the past heroes wouldn't end in vain.
What best could be done to get the cargo now and where exactly could it be? Where?
Episode Four coming out next week!
Had the lethal cargo gotten to the hands of Boko Haram? And could the military still capture it? Could the invasion of Sambisa forest still hold without it being found and what was the next strategic stage? Drop your comments and views, stay tuned and don't miss out!
The time was 2:00pm and the troops headed for the mission in their convoy of four trucks . . . to also join in the search for and rescue of the abducted Chibok girls that had been captured recently and Lt. Andy was among . . That was his prime duty. And he knew he owed it to Dinah, most especially . . Not long after the convoy left Chibok, the insurgents struck, launching their preplanned ambush . . . Unfortunately, Pius Andy was killed in ambush too. Heartbreakingly, he had been one who bore the brunt of the attack and stood ahead to return overwhelming fire on the terrorists.
After this, it was clear to the army that there were moles in or close to them who were tipping off Boko Haram fighters about their plans. Ebuka Mike resolved to personally investigate the matter and fish out the informants for the Boko Haram terrorists.
That very day, a massive campaign still began all across the world for the Chibok girls to be released. Dafe's wife, Rebecca was at the helm of the campaign in her own sector . . . Dafe was headed to Borno along with his new team to begin the main onslaught against the terrorists . . . The effect of the Special Force in the army was massively felt and Dafe knew indeed that he'd joined the war. It was just as he promised.
All that remained ahead of them before the deadline now was the grueling task of the recapture of an enormous town called Bama . . . The ground teams were required to immediately spread out into their sectors for the mopping up and Dafe's squad, Delta 2, was the lead strike force for the central part of the town . . . Secretly however, the terrorists had lied in wait for the incoming soldiers and had planned a very huge ambush for them.
The deadly jihadists were about to launch just as the squad arrived. It was a big trap, the lives of Dafe and his men were unfortunately in great danger.
Episode Three
Crackdown
Dafe walked energetically holding his Beryl M762 assault rifle and observing carefully the corners around him with his squad flanked out behind him as they advanced deeper into the town of Bama. They'd invaded the dreaded town after carrying out earlier bombardments on it--just as they'd planned all along--and were required to neutralise any other remaining portions of the Boko Haram elements in it but the solitude and desertion they met in the town after they entered seemed almost unbelievable. They had expected enemy resistances and were willing to take them out but meeting the exact opposite was just too relieving. All that seemed to remain for them now was just the mopping up operations to ensure that there were no remaining terrorists in the town. Their attack plan seemed to be working well.
Boko Haram fighters meanwhile were hiding and lying in wait for the incoming soldiers, making it seem as though they'd deserted the town, so they could launch a massive ambush on them. And they were gladdened as they saw the different squads approaching where they were concealing, utterly prepared to strike.
Just then, Dafe stopped and then took a knee down immediately, quite perturbed, seriously considering the situation he and his squad were in. There was a strong uneasiness in him. It all seemed so strange. The solitude and emptiness in the town wasn't normal. He knew the Boko Haram fighters quite well. He'd studied them and engaged them in previous times. He knew they never used to leave things so easily. They always put up a resistance whenever being confronted . . . except, unless, if it was an ambush.
The solitude the soldiers had encountered in the town was actually an ambush, Dafe knew. They were on the brink of disaster. Immediately he radioed his squad and all other units to hold their positions that instant and remain where they were. Then he advised for the proper procedure they were to take. It was wiser for them to stop their advance and continue with the plan of letting the tanks sweep through the entire town to blow out the covers of the insurgents and ensure the town was actually totally free of any form of ambush--before the infantries would then continue on foot for the mop up.
It was very close, but it was wiser the tanks went ahead and did most of the job. Immediately, the tanks, commanded by Major Abu Ali, took up the front positions then began opening fire--with their smoothbore main guns and machine guns--on different corners and covers which the insurgents could be hiding in. Seeing their covers were already blown and concealment exposed, the terrorists began coming outside to exchange fire. By now, the tank operators where glad that they'd smoked out the insurgents from their hideouts and so rained thorough bombardment on them. The infantries took up defensive positions too and then returned fire on the enemy to support the tanks. Swiftly and effectively, the army outwitted the terrorists and took out scores of them.
Seeing that all possible means of ambush for the terrorists had been cut off, the infantries then moved deeper to complete the assault. The available Delta group under Capt. Garrick and Dafe were able to neutralise the remaining defences of the terrorists while the other regular combatants moved ahead to arrest certain of the terrorists as they attempted to retreat. In all, the mission was a very successful one and by the next day, they were able to relay "absolute victory" to Star One. With a joint effort, they'd drastically relinquished the prowess of the insurgents and that, before their deadline. Dafe's sensitivity and wisdom was a major saving factor.
In every event, the presence of the special forces in the war was highly felt and appreciated. Regular military units couldn't really tackle terrorism/guerilla warfare well as much as the special forces could being that they were majorly trained for symmetric engagements and conventional warfare. The special forces whereas were specially crafted for counterterrorism and other more technical operations so were vital in those initial assaults against the terrorists though the assaults bordered on conventional conquest patterns.
There was enormous joy and appreciation at the success and victory of the mission and all other ones which the special forces had been involved in too. Borno had been entirely captured and wrested from Boko Haram but in it all, Dafe knew he was standing in the shoes, resting on the blood, of those combatants who had given their lives in the past for the possibility of such successes. He would never let their deeds die but he would always keep on fulfilling his duty which he owed them.
Dafe knew. He had rightly avenged Andy.
* * * * *
One Year Later,April 15th 2016.
"Hey, baby, how are you doing?" Rebecca asked on the phone discussing with Dafe. It was 10:00pm on a breezy evening and was the time for their routine night calls.
"Hey. I'm good," Dafe replied softly with a smile, already lying on his camp bed in his cabin. It was quiet in their Chabbol base camp, near Maiduguri, and apart from the guards patrolling outside, it seemed everyone else had slept. "Missed you today, love."
Rebecca gave a short sigh. "I really do too. Guess we'll just continue holding up."
"Yea. Can't wait to see you, babe. Put you in my arms, enjoy your love."
"When are you going to return?"
"Don't know. Guess till the war ever ends." Dafe chuckled. "Should be home soon for a break though. But we got lot of missions. We got a special one tomorrow too."
"As always," Rebecca replied quite saddened and feeling all alone. For over a year, Dafe had been deployed to the north east to fight the Boko Haram insurgency, and she was longing to see him daily. "Just hang in there for me, Dafe. Don't leave me."
"I'll make sure. Thought of you keeps me alive, you know."
"I'll keep on trusting."
Since early 2015 when Dafe had been deployed there, he'd witnessed the deaths of many other soldiers in the war. But like he meant, the joy and thought of Rebecca was part of what kept him alive. There had been relative peace in the State since the troops cleared out the terrorists from the towns they captured the previous year. A new Army Chief, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, had stepped in to enforce order launching a new overall tactical warfare against the terrorists which was codenamed Operation Lafiya Dole--Hausa for "Peace by Force"--to replace the former operation.
After that, life was almost returning to normal--although the terrorists kept on striking pockets of attack--most of which were suicide bombings in crowded places, operating from their hideouts and last main strongholds at the Sambisa forest. The next day, Dafe and his squad had a special mission of launching a surprise attack on a hideout camp of the terrorist sect in a nearby Alafa town, just before an invasion force was to begin its operations.
Early the next morning, troops were already being mustered in their camp and the closeby ones for the clearing mission they had that day and Dafe's team, Delta 2, was required to precede the rest to launch own special mission first. They were to get to the battle zone a few hours before the main assault, head to high ground to carry out special reconnaissance on the activities of the Boko Haram hostiles to avoid any of their ambushes and then serve as overwatch and a flanking support to counter their attack and expose their tactics while the regular troops and tanks moved in for the main invasion. The overall Operation had been codenamed, "Crackdown", designed to act towards the terrorists as the name implied.
Delta 2 team got to their AO in the town soon enough, donned in the Army's desert digital camo and arriving in a Cobra armoured Infantry Vehicle, and then set up their equipment on the roof of an abandoned three-storey building that was sufficiently overlooking the large site of the terrorists' camp that was about 300m away. Dafe and his closest aide, Josh, were in charge of the squad and provided them necessary advise and instructions from the command and other units involved in the mission. The main overwatch sniper was Osaren--"Gether"--supported by Abraham, a second sniper, with their Alex-338 sniper rifles, while Dasuki was a spotter for them equipped with long-range scope. Hinbari, the Storm, set up machine guns with belt ammunition as usual and Arinze was reserved with explosives--RPGs and hand grenades. It was going to be majorly a special sniping and support mission for the team and they were fully prepared.
"Er . . . Lt., think they got any surprises for us today?" Josh asked Dafe as all of them took up their respective positions. Josh, a Second-Lieutenant, was about same age and height with Dafe, darker and slightly slimmer, but with a strong and energetic countenance.
Dafe hummed. "Colin Powel once said, "no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy". If you think you're going into the enemy territory to attack him and wouldn't face surprises always . . . I'm sorry, man."
"Leave 'em to me, boss," Osaren, with his trademark of always wearing a camo facecap backwards even while others wore helmets, told Dafe quite confidently. "I'm set to unleash counter-surprise on them." Osaren's previous records of accurate and excellent sniping were almost unrivalled in the entire Battalion and he was always admired by others.
"Hey, Gether. This would do." Hinbari told him lifting his own machine gun, quite eager for a showdown.
"I admire your courage, guys," Dafe told them. "In the meantime we wait for those buggers until the right time to unleash hell. Lock and load, guys."
"Roger that." They replied.
After about two hours of scanning the entire sectors and detailedly observing the activities of the terrorists in their hideout, with no obvious plot of an ambush in view, the team gave the green light for the invasion force--who were already incoming--to move in. There was a standby air support for the mission too--an Alpha Jet with "War Wings" as its callsign. The entire Division's commander, Major General Ezugwu, was onboard the jet to also monitor the mission. The 272 Tank Battalion with T-72s (dubbed "War Rhinos") was as usual the spear of the invasion team and apart from being fully prepared with their respective duties, all the units were practically anxious though optimistic and confident for the victory. Most especially, they were hoping there wouldn't be any form of insurmountable ambush in this mission.
By the time the tanks began arriving with ground teams the size of a Company split in different armoured carriers, Delta 2 began their initial strike. Taking out the hostiles immediately who were still parading their site, precise and proficient Osaren launched the attack with a strong surprise accompanied by Abraham. Quickly, most of terrorists went for cover seeing many of their team members fall rapidly and surprisingly. At the next instant, the T-72 tanks broke into the enemy site and began launching rounds on their covers then the infantries advanced too from different flanks to attack. The Alpha Jet flew overhead to launch strikes on smoke markings placed on enemy locations and resistance and to also take out the fleeing hostiles.
The terrorists retreated deeper into their camp and then tried to regroup fiercely, rolling out about a dozen technicals (gun trucks) along with a Vickers tank. Delta 2 kept on launching their supportive fires on the Boko Haram hostiles but just then, from nowhere, a lethal round of RPG struck on the top spot--the roof--the team were attacking from. The RPG exploded just on the parapet of the roof and the entire team was scattered, fallen in disarray, with rubbles all around them.
It seemed Dafe awoke from an unconscious state as he lifted his head to see his entire squad; Josh, Osaren, Hinbari and the rest scattered on the floor with their weapons all around. He could hardly hear anything other than an humming sound of blankness rocking in his ears. He could hardly believed it. The RPG had struck close to them, they'd actually been taken by surprise and he could have almost died. His heart pounded heavily and frenziedly but he immediately got up to raise his team members too.
"Stand up!" Dafe screamed as the other team members managed to get up too, dusting themselves with same humming blank sound in their ears. Soon, they all got up but Abraham was already bleeding with a cut on his hand. A couple of the team members gave him support.
"Those bastards!" Osaren muttered feeling a swell of anger in his heart reminiscing the explosion that just occured. Immediately he began to return fire right there on the roof and snipe more of the terrorists all over below them. Arinze also began launching explosives too on them while the remaining team members joined in the attack--much more determined and fierce now.
Just then a technical--a van fitted with a machine gun--belonging to the terrorist also began to fire on the roof where Delta 2 was. Immediately, all the team members ducked and laid down to avoid the incoming rapid fire that was suppressing them. It continued for about three minutes more. By now, the entire team was filled with anxiety and frustration. They could lose their lives in the attack any minute.
Filled with anger, Dafe radioed Abu Ali, the tank Battalion commander for tank support against the technical that was raining fire on them below. "War Rhino 1-1, we have supressing enemy fire on our zero, the high ground, north of you. Requesting immediate assistance to take out the technical!"
"I've got you," Abu Ali, in the lead T-72, replied to Dafe and then commanded his gunner to aim the tank's gun on the hostile that was controlling the technical. Immediately, the tank fired on the technical and destroyed it along with the other hostiles that were around it as it exploded. After that, Abu Ali focused his attack on the enemy Vickers tank that was also attacking the other Nigerian troops.
Sending another tank to flank it, Abu Ali ordered his driver to go on ahead against the enemy tank for an engagement. The flanking tank pushed the enemy tank deeper into a corner and then Abu Ali's tank raced straight towards it until he gave the command to fire on it. After about three frantic shots, the enemy tank was put out of action and then caught fire. Abu Ali was gladdened and then immediately kept on concentrating his fire upon more enemy resistances such as other technicals and then eventually took them out. His swiftness and skill had saved lives and helped in neutralising the entirety of the enemy's onslaught.
Delta 2 resumed in providing the needed support of overwatch and counterattacks as the battle continued. At the end the entire mission was hugely successful with no casualties recorded however that day, the most celebrated combatants were the team members of the tank Battalion who fought very valiantly, bore the fierce heat of the battle, did most of the job and provided the entire army with absolute and irrefutable victory. Dafe and his team knew they indeed owed their lives in appreciation to them.
Abu Ali, already promoted to a Lt. Col., was the slim and young intelligent tank Battalion commander whose effect in the war had been felt heavily since 2015 when he began to do most of the jobs with the tanks for recapturing the towns and he'd been awarded by the Army Chief for excellence. Realising the large feat achieved by the commander that day, the entire army celebrated him due to the valour he'd also displayed. He was a Comrade. He was a true hero. And he had saved and helped the entire army just like previous times and his presence was greatly cherished. He definitely would be needed for the upcoming battles in order to totally annihilate Boko Haram.
* * * * *
Three terrorists ran into the Camp Zero at Sambisa to inform Shekau of the fierce attack that had just hit their hideout in Alafa. Shekau, who was as usual pacing around the bunker in daytime for his personal routine surveillance and observation, was alarmed to receive such news and became quite furious. A few of the Boko Haram leaders were with him too and immediately began suggesting a counterstrike on the Nigerian military immediately even though they knew their resources and forces had been heavily depleted.Not far from where he was was a little group of the Chibok girls who'd been abducted since about two years. Dinah was among them and they were out in the open sitting on grass under a tree while they were tasked to pick a bag of beans which the terrorists used for their consumption.
Dinah had been really devastated and heart-shatttered that they'd remained there for two hellish years without any significant rescue attempt for them. She was aware that the government, the army and other international groups had been making attempts to rescue them or negotiate their release--as they'd been informed by Shekau--but she couldn't just believe that they'd spend that long in the camp of "devils" who were maltreating them daily. A large portion of the girls had been married off at different times to several of the terrorists, a few had died, some had escaped or were rescued, while those who still remained were tasked with several chores to do for the terrorists and many times raped painfully. Dinah's heart was bleeding and she knew that life would never remain the same to her again.
"Dry your tears, Dinah," Amina, one of the elderly girls among them, about 21 now, advised her compassionately. Together they had bonded and had been soul sisters whose hearts were knit tightly and srongly since the incidence happened. Immediately, the group of girls, about ten of them, began to sing a song in their local dialect that offered them comfort whenever memories of their chaotic situation rose up. Dinah wiped her tears and later on, all of them could feel hope rising again gently in their hearts. They would live together amd endure amidst the evil they were passing through. But they were optimistic that rescue was on its way and very soon.
Shekau was getting frustrated of the entire situation and tensions he was already facing in the sect. He was a strong proponent for carrying out attacks on the general population of people regardless of who they were, Muslims or not. Whereas another faction of the sect were totally against that and felt it was against the ideals of other Islamic State groups especially in the Middle East. They felt attacks should have been concentrated on military or government targets. And so the tensions in the sect kept on escalating causing a strong division among them.
By July, that same year 2016 however, with the intervention of ISIS who was already alleged with them, the Boko Haram sect split into two, the new one dubbed, "the Islamic State, West African Province" (ISWAP) and its new leader was Khalid Al-Barnawi who had strong ties with AQIM in Algeria alongside Mamman Nur who masterminded the 2011 Abuja bombing.
Most of Shekau's actions and operations had been to consolidate with the top terrorist organization, al-Qaeda, and even with Osama Bin Laden then, the group's head as at 2011 (Boko Haram letters had been recovered from his compound when he was killed by US forces that year). However, al-Qaeda also debunked Shekau's way of doing things and refused to acknowledge him and so ISWAP became fully detached from Boko Haram and properly backed by ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi. Straightaway ISWAP began their previously anticipated missions of attacking military targets and rapidly, the difficulty of the situation of things grew for the Nigerian military.
By October, the military high command along with its sister agencies and all other proficient units was already planning a last major and secret operation to attack the Camp Zero stronghold in Sambisa Forest in order to totally dislodge the terrorists and recover the rests of the abducted Chibok girls. Sambisa Forest was very large, more than 600sqkm, and heavily mined all-round. Since mid 2015, the Army had been attacking it with over 17 Boko Haram camps destroyed, so the task to sweep the entire forest at once and rescue the girls was enormous. That same month though, 21 of the girls were freed by Boko Haram with 82 more on the way after there were negotiations between the group and the Nigerian government brokered by International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government.
Dinah was among them luckily, but life like she'd known it in the past times was never same again. With the interests of many international bodies, the girls were properly taken care of with proper reorientation programme and flown to the US to continue their education there. It would take more time for her heart to heal. It was cursing the terrorists who'd jeopardized life for her and she was sure they'd meet their destructive fate later on. They'd meet their waterloo.
. . . . . . . . . . .
That very Friday evening, the terrorists had attempted to overrun the town--in their large number of about 60 and heavily armed with Anti-tank weapons, AA guns, GPMGs and AK-47s--but Abu Ali had repelled them and returned massive fire with his T-72. Clearing out most of them and returning calmness, Abu Ali later on disembarked from his tank and moved ahead with some of his soldiers to carry out necessary mop up to ensure there weren't any hostiles again hiding in the surroundings to carry out further ambush.
Certain that the environs were clear of them, Abu Ali with the soldiers began to return to their position. Unknown to them however, a new set of Boko Haram fighters, emerged from nowhere as they were heading back to their position and opened fire on them. Unfortunately Abu Ali, along with six soldiers, were killed.
The hero that had turned the tide of the war around, become a terror to the enemies, saved many lives and borne the crux of the battle--still needed for upcoming battles--was no more. As the news of his death spreadt to the entire army and country, many paid their deepest respect to him. But he had indeed served his country. In his last words, "if anyone is to die, let me be the one."
Indeed, a man of valour and a Comrade, the "Chief Warrior", had painfully paid the price for freedom and peace with his blood.
* * * * *
December 9th, 2016.On a sunny morning in the port of Calabar, southern Nigeria, ships and light vessels were docking and sailing with the regular diversities that used to take place daily in the commercial Crossriverine city.
Aboard a Nigerian Navy warship, NNS Centenary, that was also sailing nearby on the Atlantic Ocean, a call came in to the ship's Captain from the Defence Intelligence Agency at Abuja through the Naval Command.
The DIA had received intel that a suspicious cargo ship arriving from France, carrying lethal technical element to be supplied to Boko Haram terrorists had docked in Calabar's port that very morning and so they relayed the information to Captain Ukpong, the ship's CO who was already close to the port, in order to intercept the cargo ship and carry out a VBSS (Visit, Board, Search & Seizure) operation, also arresting the suspects on board. Immediately, Captain Ukpong dispatched a "Tombstone" squad of the Navy's Special Boat Service who were already stationed on the Centenary , for the mission.
The Tombstone squad of eight guys was headed by Samuel Fola, a Sub Lieutenant, the close friend of Dafe. Immediately the team, geared in their maritime camo with black frag jackets and helmets and equipped with Tavor 21 assault rifles, took off swiftly in a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) from the NNS Centenary, heading to the location of the cargo ship, where they'd tracked it to. The Intel reported that the suspected cargo ship, named Tereos, headed from France and on board it was a lethal equipment ordered by the Boko Haram terrorists; an M270 Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) along with a French engineer who was in charge of the underworld supply.
The MLRS is a vehicle, fifty times deadlier than a main battle tank, with grid system launchers that could lethally launch up to 12 explosive rocket rounds in less than 40 seconds and with an operational range of over 50km. The Boko Haram terrorists had ordered for it from a secret underworld arms-supplying organization in France known as Davignon and needed the MLRS to serve as a major defense system, a lethal all-round "catapult", for their stronghold in the Sambisa Forest against any incoming army forces including aircrafts that attempted to attack them. They could even target military bases in the state within the rockets' range. The DIA knew the military high command was planning a massive invasion of the stronghold in the Sambisa Forest. And so any possibility of the MLRS reaching the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists in the north before the invasion would result to be very deadly and utterly cripple their planned invasion.
The Tereos ship's crew had been bribed to transport the MLRS in a container from France to Nigeria via the Atlantic. And the French engineer in charge of the supply and technical setup, liasing with Boko Haram, was a man known basically as "Antoine" whom they nicknamed as "Rocket-maker". Aware that the military's invasion of Sambisa Forest was very close, the DIA had to alarm the military forces immediately as soon as the cargo ship docked in Calabar port and so the SBS team was dispatched from the Centenary to intercept it and seize the lethal equipment. As at now the tensions and franticness in the military was very high. The MLRS needed to be captured that same day otherwise the situation of jeopardy on the entire country would drastically heighten.
Fola was very determined. Leading his team and receiving the info and objective briefing about their delicate mission, he knew he was required to grant his best decisions and resolve with proactiveness. There wasn't any room for mistake. He was prepared to tackle the suspects and seize and hand over the hostile MLRS to the right authority alongside his commandos. Swift, versatile and elite, these Navy SBS commandos had been trained tactically in special operations like amphibious combats, CT and counter-piracy, S & R (hostage rescue), Intelligence, Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and VBSS coupled with physical endurance tests of survival swimming, rigorous physical workouts, combat diving, and more.
After about 12 minutes of speeding, the team's RHIB reached the expected pier in the port the Tereos had docked at. Swiftly, the commandos moved to board the ship and cut any ongoing offloading on it whilst prepared for enemy resistance. About three of them stayed outside the ship while the other five moved in to apprehend the crew and search the cargo. The crew didn't offer any form of resistance and so were held easily by the team but surprisingly, there seemed not to be any cargo aboard the ship, neither was there any "Antoine".
Perplexed, the commandos searched all the crannies of the ship, within and without, but there wasn't any sign of a container or cargo aboard it. Fola had to interrogate the crew quickly again to ascertain what he was facing. Soon, it was clear to him and his team that another ship belonging to the Tereos shipping line had actually docked the previous day in that same port but had also departed in the evening. It apparently was the one which the hostile cargo had been on and must have offloaded its cargo to be transported to its final destination. Now sweat trickled down Fola's face. He was really anxious and perturbed hearing that information. He knew with no doubt that the hostile cargo must have been on its way already to Boko Haram's base in Borno. Their Intel wasn't just exactly accurate for them to intercept it. Quickly, he radioed the NNS Centenary to inform of the situation.
"Negative cargo, Centenary. The Tereos here is clean." It was quite unfortunate, but the Tombstone squad had to return back to the ship without apprehending the enemy cargo and the Navy had to inform the DIA of the perilous situation.
A heavier duty lied on their hands now. The cargo was still at large and could be anywhere already.
The franticness in the entire military increased now. Their blood was racing high. If the cargo got to the terrorists, the situation would turn black and entirely hopeless for both the military and entire country with the potential of massive destruction and Boko Haram would undoubtedly resurrect with a deadlier strain. There was need to ensure that the offered labours and painful martyrdom of the past heroes wouldn't end in vain.
What best could be done to get the cargo now and where exactly could it be? Where?
* * * * *
“The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.” — Minot J. Savage
Episode Four coming out next week!
Had the lethal cargo gotten to the hands of Boko Haram? And could the military still capture it? Could the invasion of Sambisa forest still hold without it being found and what was the next strategic stage? Drop your comments and views, stay tuned and don't miss out!
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