Military authorities in Borno have disclosed that over 200 Boko Haram
terrorists gave up fighting and surrendered to troops of the 7 Division,
Nigerian Army in Borno State on Sallah day.
According to the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole (Peace is
Must) in the north east, Major General Mohammed Abubakar , the decision of
the terrorists is not unconnected to the ongoing offensive raid going on
in the boarder communities of Banki, Bama local government in Borno State
and Cameroon Republic.
Many communities on that axis have been under the control of the Boko
Haram insurgents until they were recently recaptured by the Nigerian
military.
The Theatre Commander who was speaking at an interactive session with
journalists on Friday at the military Command and Control Centre in
Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri, revealed that those who surrendered were
mainly women and children.
“I am happy to inform you that over 200 terrorists group surrendered to
may troops around Banki town on Thursday. The field commander just called
me and briefed me about the development.
“We are calling on other terrorists to surrender as anyone who surrender
will be reintegrated into the society.
“Presently, we have 36 Internally Displaced Persons Camps in the north
east and all those who surrendered to troops were screened before taken to
these camps pending when the closed down roads will be reopen for
motorists so that the displaced people will go back to their liberated
communities.
“We have started sending our engineers to repair all the destroyed
bridges. Already our engineers have started reconstructing the destroyed
bridges along Gamboru-Ngala- Maiduguri, Gombi- Garkida- Biu roads among
others and very soon the menace of Boko haram madness will be over, but
this can never be achieved without the full cooperation of the media and
the general public.
“The fight against terrorists is a collective responsibility and all hands
must be on deck to nip terrorism in the bud,” he said.
He also disclosed that troops of the 7Division averted tragedy on Sallah
day in Maiduguri with the arrest of a suspected terrorists who went to
Madinatu Mosque in Maiduguri to plant an Improvised Explosive
Devises(IED).
He announced that the suspect is under investigation and he is providing
useful information to track down other accomplices.