Abuja: Nigerian military on Friday announced that the troops had taken back the Gwoza town from Boko Haram militants. The terrorist outfit had declared their caliphate from this place last year.
Defence spokesman Chris Olukolade told in the capital city Abuja that the recapture came after "concerted and well-coordinated land and air operations".
He also told that the administrative headquarters of the Boko Haram group has been completely destroyed and a lot of arms and ammunitions have also been recovered.
He also said that a massive cordon and search has also been started to locate any of the fleeing terrorists or hostages in their custody.
As per media reports, earlier this month, residents who fled the town in Borno state told that the militants had been gathering in Gwoza and killing local people who were unable to flee.
This led to a speculation for the militia that the group which was pushed out of a number of towns was preparing for a final assault.
Olukolade said dead bodies had been discovered in a well, while one man who was forcibly conscripted into the militants' ranks said the group's leader had ordered women in the town to be killed.
Usman Ali, a 35-year-old farmer, said Abubakar Shekau addressed his fighters on March 15 and told them to kill the women they have taken as wives.
"He said they should go back to Gwoza and kill all of their women they left behind. He said if they didn't kill them they would not join them in paradise," he told to a media agency after managing to escape.
"They took us along to Gwoza where we witnessed the carnage."
Earlier this month residents who fled Bama, also in Borno state, had also reported that dozens of women forced into marriage with Boko Haram fighters were killed.
