Nigerian military has confirmed that they have retaken the northeastern border town of Baga from the hands of Islamic terrorist movement Boko Haram, according to Al Jazeera. Baga borders Chad, Niger and Cameroon and served as headquarters for troops from the four neighboring countries.
Boko Haram seized control of Baga on Jan. 3 in an attack that killed hundreds.
"We have secured Baga," said Nigerian defense spokesperson Major-General Chris Olukolade, according to Reuters. "We are now in full control. There are only mopping up exercises left to do."
According to Reuters, Olukolade said, "a large number of terrorists had drowned in Lake Chad" as troops stormed Baga.
"Not even the strategy of mining over 1,500 spots with landmines on the routes leading to the town could save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops," Olukolade said, according to Reuters.
Al Jazeera report that the news agency has confirmed the reports with Nigeria's military.
The extent of the operation's success is hard to determine, according to Al Jazeera's West Africa correspondent Yvonne Ndege. "This is a significant moment, a symbolic victory," she said. "But it is very difficult to know precisely how successful the operation was."
A positive spin will be helpful to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan in the upcoming election. The election was supposed to take place on March 28, but it was delayed to provide more time to fight the jihadists.
