120 BOKO HARAM MEMBERS ARRESTED IN MAIDUGURI

It has been gathered that about 120 Boko Haram members have been arrested in Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno state where a state of emergency was recently declared. They were arrested during the burial ceremony of one of their commanders who died in an ugly encounter with soldiers.Defence spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, in a press statement disclosed that the arrested insurgents were in the custody of the Joint Task Force (JTF) where they were being interrogated.

He said the Special Forces had now secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo, all in Borno state, after destroying all the terrorists’ camps sited in these localities.

The statement said that the troops were already interacting with locals and citizens assuring them of their safety and freedom from the activities of insurgents.

Brigadier General Olukolade said terrorists fleeing towards Chad and Niger Republic are being contained by the Multi-National Joint Task Force in various locations at the border.

He said during the raid on terrorist camps, the troops observed a few shallow graves believed to be those of hurriedly buried members.

More than 2,000 Nigerians living in border villages in Borno State were reported to have fled as a result of the ongoing military operations targeted at routing the insurgents from the area.

The fleeing villagers were said to have headed to the neighbouring Niger Republic.

“Most of the residents of border villages of Borno have fled to Niger. About 2,000 people from Abadan, Malam Fatori and other villages are now refugees in Difa, Niger Republic,” 

The source said that the Joint Military Task Force was on the trail of the members of the Boko Haram sect, who were dislodged from the Sambisa Game Reserve and other camps on Thursday in Borno State.

It was learnt that residents of Maiduguri and other communities far from the border, who did not want to be caught in the cross-fire have also fled to some neighbouring states, including Kano and Bauchi.