Army Releases 249 Boko Haram Suspects, Gives Them N3000 Each in Maiduguri

  • Troops intercept suicide bomber in Sabon Gari Jidari

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has on Sunday released a total of 249 suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices cleared by the Joint Interrogation set up by the Chief of Army Staff in Maiduguri.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement monday, said those cleared and released include 169 males, 46 women and 34 children.

Usman gave a further breakdown, which showed that 203 of the released suspects were from 18 local government areas of Borno State, while 44 were from other states including two each from Adamawa and Jigawa, one each from Lagos and Oyo, while about 38 are Yobe State indigenes.
He however, noted that two of them were from the Republic of Cameroun.

The army spokesman said the released persons were handed over to the Borno State Government through the Commissioner for Local Government by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu.

“The two foreigners were however handed over to the Borno State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service,” he stated.

According to Usman, the commissioner advised the released detainees to remain law abiding and go about their lawful businesses.

The commissioner, he stated, 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,” he said.

In another development, Usman said the troops of 101 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison on foot patrol along with some elements of Civilian JTF, on Sunday intercepted a suspected male suicide bomber at Sabon Gari Jidari.

He said the suspect carrying primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in a blue stabiliser 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,” he revealed.
In a related development, Usman said 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.

He said the vigilante destroyed the camp and recovered an AK-47 rifle with registration number 565203224 with locally fabricated five rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunitions and a pair of military uniform.

He also said the leader of the vigilante handed over same to the Headquarters of 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa.

In the same vein, Usman said the troops of Forward Operation Base, 33 Brigade deployed in Burra, Bauchi State along with some local vigilantes, on Sunday conducted patrol along Unguwar Kanawa-Rugar Abdulsalami-Diwa Village-Dutsen Zaki with the aim of clearing cattle rustlers, armed bandits and kidnappers operating in the general area.

The DAPR said troops came in contact with some armed bandits at Jejin Dutsen Zaki (Dutsen Zaki Forest) where there was exchange of gun fire that led to the death of two kidnappers and rescue of two kidnap victims.

He said the team also recovered five AK-47 rifles, 23 rounds of 7.62mm ammunitions and four Bajaj brand of motorcycles, as well as food items and clothing.

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