Troops Capture Injured Boko Haram Fighters In Forests, Lake Chad

Captured-BOKO HARAMMilitary authorities yesterday disclosed that several Boko Haram fighters injured in gun-battle with security forces have been captured in some parts of Borno State and on the fringes of Lake Chad.

Besides, weapons have been recovered by troops in collaboration with the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

According to a statement by Director of Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, some of those arrested gave useful information.

The statement said: “Scores of wounded terrorists who escaped from various camps under the fire of security forces have been captured in the fringes of Lake Chad.

“The captured terrorists, some of whom are fatally wounded, are already making useful statements to interrogators of the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

“Others were captured by troops in locations around Dikwa, Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and Alargarmo.

“In their confessions, it was revealed that some of the camps have been disbanded following the directive of their clerics who declared that the operation of the sect had come to an end as the mission could no longer be sustained”.

The Defence spokesperson also claimed that some of those being interrogated pleaded with troops not to kill them.

The statement added: “The terrorists, who gave useful information as to the locations of their remnant forces, were full of apologies and pleas for their lives to be spared, promising to cooperate.

“They confirmed that starvation was a major problem, in addition to ceaseless bombardments on the camp locations even when they kept relocating.

“They also confirmed that several members of the group have been wounded and no treatment was forthcoming. Troops have continued their assault on other locations across the states covered by the state of emergency”.

The DHQ, however, issued a warning to members of the public against visiting captured camps of Boko Haram for what it termed “sight-seeing”.

It said: “Meanwhile, members of the public who have started visiting to engage in sight seeing in some dislodged camps and fringes of forests, such as Sambisa and others have been warned to desist from doing so as the tendency will no more be condoned where operations are still ongoing.

“The general area still remains a theatre and movement remains restricted as the environment has to be cleared for safety of citizens. The public will be informed when the locations are safe enough”.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Why did the Government and the Army have to wait till this time after Boko Haram had killed and maimed Civilians and Military personnel, destroyed properties of Nigeria citizens and given us a bad name in the committee of Nations? Let us reason it out. Does it mean that the Military authorities does not know how to do its job (i.e Chief of Defence staff Major General Minimah had to be told by the Senate to move to Bornu) and need to be told how to do it? When some journalists were kiddnapped about two years ago, the Inspector General of Police was told to move to Abia by the President before the journalist were rescued! What are this people taught in their Colleges which is funded by tax payers money? I think there is a need to evaluate the kind of education they are recieving in their trainning schools. We also need to evaluate their level of intelligence in relation to their ability to tackle modern day military challenges! Modern day warfare has not got to do with military hardware only! Secondly, if the military cannot or do not know how to do its job and must be civilian authorities must they wait till issues move from bad to worse before they tell them what to do as in the case of Boko Haram in Borno State? Though the battle is been won, the school children murdered in their sleep are dead forever. Those raped and infected with uncurable sexually transmitted diseases by Boko Haram group would forever bear their problems. The loses are many. Who will pay for them? Senate committee on Defence have a lot of work to do in the area of national security. The weakness Nigeria has displayed in the area of combating insurgency has shown that West African countries could be very weak when it comes to combating armed uprising. Insurgents and Religious Extremists within Africa have observed this. What do you think they would do with their moral which has been boosted?