The Nigerian Army says troops have cleared roads in the northeast of Improvised Explosive Devices, planted by Boko Haram insurgents.

The spokesperson for the 7 Division of Nigerian Army, Tukur Gusau, announced this in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

He said troops of the division, during clearance and linking-up operations, recovered five IEDs planted on the road linking Gwoza and Yamteke.

Mr. Gusau said the explosives had since been defused and destroyed by a team of Nigerian Army engineers.

“Troops conducting clearance operations in Dikwa area, following routing out of terrorists in the area a couple of days ago, discovered a hideout in which weapons and equipment used for construction of IEDs were hidden.

“They include five drilling, one filing, two cutting, one disc filing machines, 52 compact discs, nine rocket propelled grenades, seven charges, one 105mm pack howitzer, one BMG tripod stand and one cutting/drilling machine,” said Mr. Gusau.

He reiterated the readiness of the troops to ensure that the Boko Haram terrorists were flushed out and peace restored “by all means” in the region.

Combined efforts by Nigerian Air Force fighter jets and ground troops have destroyed camps of the suspected terrorists in recent operations in the region.