On Friday, the Nigerian Army said its troops had captured
220 Boko Haram insurgents in various clearance operations
in the northeast region. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya
Dole, made the disclosure in a statement issued in
Maiduguri.
Nwachukwu said that troops captured 167 insurgents after
raiding their enclaves in Lake Chad Basin while 53 others
were captured in northern parts of Borno State. He disclosed
that troops also extricated 67 women and 173 children, who
were family members of the insurgents.
Nwachukwu said that the troops have intensified offensive
to clear remnants of the insurgents in the region, noting that
the operation has yielded positive results.
“Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have intensified
offensive on Boko Haram enclaves in the Island
around Lake Chad. The offensive which commenced
about two weeks ago with coordinated air and
artillery bombardments on Boko Haram enclaves is
yielding positive results, as several insurgents have
been killed while 167 fleeing insurgents have been
captured by troops. Troops also extricated and
profiled 67 women and 173 children who revealed
during profiling exercise that they are family
members of the insurgents who fled the troops’
offensive,” he said.
Nwachukwu explained that arrangements were ongoing to
handover the women and children to authorities of Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, after completing
preliminary investigations.
According to him, troops in the past two months conducted
long-range fighting patrols and ambushes. He disclosed that
the troops cleared the insurgents’ hideouts at Saada and
Juwei villages in the fringes of northern Borno. “During the
operations, troops intercepted and arrested 53 fleeing
insurgents who have been profiled and are currently helping
with investigations. Fifteen insurgents have also willingly
renounced the sect and surrendered, dismissing it as futile
struggle”.
Nwachukwu further sympathised with families of troops and
civilians, who died in the encounters and the callous suicide
bombing attacks by the terrorists.
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