Chad, Niger troops retake Nigeria border town

N'Djamena - Soldiers from Chad and Niger on Tuesday drove Boko Haram Islamist militants from a northern Nigeria border town they have occupied since late last year, Chad's government spokesperson said.

A joint offensive by Nigeria and its neighbours has succeeded in driving the militants from most of the positions they held earlier this year, an advance that forced Nigeria to delay a February election.

The town of Malam Fatori, which was seized by Boko Haram in November, had been the scene of fighting between coalition forces and the militants, and military sources falsely claimed to have retaken it in January.