Nigeria's military said Monday it had re-established control in five remote areas of the northeast where Islamist insurgents had seized territory, as it pressed on with a sweeping offensive against Boko Haram militants. The military has "secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo after destroying all the terrorists' camps," a defence ministry statement said. All of the areas in northern Borno state near the Cameroon border were considered Boko Haram strongholds.

Nigeria's military on Monday said it had re-established control in five remote areas of the northeast where Islamist insurgents had seized territory, as it pressed on with a sweeping offensive against Boko Haram militants. The military has "secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo after destroying all the terrorists camps...The troops are already interacting with locals and citizens assuring them of their safety and freedom from the activities of insurgents," a statement said. ola-bs/fb

A key city in northeast Nigeria was on lockdown Sunday as the military enforced a 24-hour curfew and blocked supply routes in its sweeping campaign against Islamist insurgents. The operation against Boko Haram, the group that wants an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, is aimed at retaking territory seized by the militants and ridding the country of "terrorist activities," the miltary has said.

A sweeping offensive against Boko Haram Islamists has left dozens of insurgents dead, the defence ministry spokesman told AFP Friday, as the military pressed on with air raids and ground assaults across three states. "Dozens of the insurgents have likely been killed," Brigadier General Chris Olukolade said, without offering a precise figure. bs/fb