No fewer than 12 wives of Boko Haram militants have turned themselves in to the Civilian JTF in Borno State as their husbands abandoned them in the bush, a vigilante security said.
Leader of the Civilian JTF in Mussa District, Askira-Uba local government area of Borno, Mr. Apagu Istifanus, said between Monday and Tuesday, 12 wives of Boko Haram militants had surrendered including 2 pregnant women, adding that the women explained that their husbands left as a result of lack of food and fuel supply.
He said, “on Monday 4 of them came to Askira after thorough investigation, they told us that their husbands could no longer feed them that they are many in the bush but more were still coming, they have been taken to Biu town for more information.
“Yesterday at about 4 pm another eight surfaced again, two of them several months pregnant, their husbands had left them and their children at Ngude village in Damboa local government area. But we have handed over to the military, they have moved them to Mubi”.
Apagu commended Nigerian troops for cutting the supply of food and fuel to the militants – a development that has weakened the militants in recent months.
A military source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak with journalists, disclosed that they are aware of the report that some wives of the terrorists are coming out now.
“You see we don’t disclose how we operate to journalists, but the truth is this, they (Boko Haram) are feeling the heat because most of their camps is either destroyed or taken over by our troops”, he told Saharareporters.
