MAIDUGURI – No fewer than 249 cleared suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices have been released by the Joint Interrogation as approved by the Chief of Army Staff in Maiduguri.
According to Army spokesperson, Col. Sani Usman, those cleared and released include 169 males, 46 women and 34 children.
Further breakdown shows that 203 of them were from 18 Local Government Areas of Borno State, while 44 were from other States as follows; Adamawa 2, Jigawa 2, Lagos 1, Oyo 1 and Yobe 38. However, 2 of them were from the Republic of Cameroon.
The released persons were handed over to Borno State government through the Commissioner for Local Government by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu. The two foreigners were however handed over to the Borno State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service.
In his remarks, the Commissioner advised the released detainees to remain law abiding and go about their lawful businesses. He also commended the effort of the military in the fight against terrorism and insurgency and respect for human rights as manifested in the painstaking efforts that led to their clearance and subsequent release. Each of them was given a token of N3,000 each.
Meanwhile, troops of 101 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison on Monday, along with some elements of Civilian JTF, intercepted a suspected male suicide bomber at Sabon Gari Jidari.
The suspect carrying primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in a blue stabilizer casing gave his name as Yusuf Tasiu.
He was dispossessed of the explosives while the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Devices expert safely detonated it. The suicide bomber is currently being interrogated.
In a related development, Vigilante group at Njidari village, South East of Damboa, conducted clearance operations against suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideout close to Ngwalimeri village, east of Bale in Borno State.
The vigilante destroyed the camp and recovered 1 AK-47 rifle with registration number 565203224 with locally fabricated 5 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunitions and a pair of military uniform. The leader of the vigilante handed over same to the Headquarters of 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa.
