The army recaptured the towns of Monguno and Marte from Boko Haram on February 16, 2015.
Nigeria’s army is stepping up the offensive against Boko Haram demonstrated through frantic efforts to recapture lost territory in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States. One of such efforts paid off on Monday, February 16, 2015 when ground troops backed by air strikes recaptured the north eastern town of Monguno on the shores of Lake Chad, Reuters reported. Boko Haram militants, whose aim is to build an Islamic caliphate in north eastern Nigeria, seized the town in January 2015 in an offensive that also targeted the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.
"The air and land operation is continuing with aggressive advance towards other designated communities and locations meant to be cleared in the ongoing offensive against the terrorists," Reuters quoted Defence Spokesman Major-General Chris Olukolade as saying. The army had also seized the nearby town of Marte, the military statement said. The war against Boko Haram is gradually getting to the apex with foreign governments and regional organizations mobilizing both financial, material and human resources.
Heads of State and government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) during the extraordinary Summit of Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX) in Yaounde on February 16, 2015, mapped out combat strategies to be fueled by an emergency fund of FCFA 50 billion they created. In another development, in response to the request by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the United States of America has pledged to provide Nigeria with training and equipment to combat Boko Haram.
Lieutenant General Steven Hummer said the U.S. Africa Command was "ready to assist in whatever way Nigeria sees as being practical,” BBC quoted. Reports further say that in coincidence with the Nigerian offensive against Boko Haram, Chad launched a U.S.-backed counter-terrorism exercise called "Flintlock" involving 1,300 soldiers from 28 African and Western countries that has been billed as a warm-up for a multi-pronged onslaught against Boko Haram.
