Nigerian troops rescue 59 persons during raid in northeast state

Nigerian troops in northeast state of Borno had cleared two villages occupied by Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 59 abducted persons in anti-terrorist operation in Konduga area of the state, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

"They are made up of 25 children, 29 women and five elderly men," a deputy spokesperson of the Nigerian Army Col. Tukur Gusau said in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial city.

He said dozens of suspected Boko Haram terrorists were killed during the operation on Wednesday, noting that a land rover jeep and a tipper lorry used by the terrorists for their nefarious activities were recovered.

Gusau said the military had shut down two suspected Boko Haram terrorists camps in a place called Kashimbiri and Warmure.

"There was no casualty on the military or any of our equipment," he said.

The deputy spokesperson said the rescued persons would be handed over to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for rehabilitation.

The army had last week liberated Dikwa town in Borno State from the terrorists after a successful operation, where about 30 persons were freed.

Boko Haram has stepped up its attacks with a spate of suicide bombings across Nigeria and neighboring countries.