Police Rescue 13 Kidnapped Persons as Boko Haram Members Surrender

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The Nigeria Police has rescued 13 kidnapped persons from the den of kidnappers in Yobe State.

According to a statement by the spokesman of the Borno State Police Command and a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Victor Isuku, two hoodlums were killed during the rescue operation jointly carried out by police and men of local vigilante group.

The statement read in part: “On the 19/8/2017, the Area Commander Biu, reported a case of abduction of six children, four males and two females.

“The command striking unit and team of investigators were promptly dispatched to the area. The deployment and the use of undercover operatives led to the arrest of five persons who made confessional statements and revealed the location where the abducted children were kept.”

Isuku revealed that: “On 8/9/2017, through community policing partnership and networking, the command with local hunters and vigilante members dominated the hostage scene and after about an hour gun battle with the hoodlums in the forest, near Kumaya village in Buni Yadi area of Yobe State, the following arrests, rescues and recoveries were made: Two of the hoodlums died following injuries sustained in the gun battle, Two AK47 rifles used by the hoodlums were recovered, six earlier abducted victims were rescued, Seven other abducted persons were rescued, bringing the total number of persons rescued to 13.”

He lamented that two members of the search party were injured in the course of the exchange.
He said they are responding to treatment and are in stable condition.

Isuku also disclosed that the rescued victims were formally handed over to the Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mamman Durkwa, at the Government House.

In a similar development, the counter terrorism efforts of the Nigerian military, code name “Operation Safe Corridor “ recorded another victory with the unconditional surrender to the police by high profile repentant Boko Haram terrorists.

Isuku, said: “On 10/9/2017, at about 2100hrs, the intelligence arm of the Special anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Borno State command, were able to negotiate a peaceful surrender of repentant Boko Haram terrorists with their families.”

He said: “One Ibrahim Dala (alias Abu Ali), formerly of Kawar Mela ward, Maiduguri, an Amir (commander) of the Mamman Nur faction, along with Audu Mustapha Bukar, male, 20 years and Laminu Mustapha Modu, male, 25 years, all residing at Talala insurgents camp in Sambisa Forest surrendered themselves unconditionally to Borno State police command.

“Audu Mustapha Bukar and Laminu Mustapha Modu, both of whom are from Ngallamari village, claimed to have been held hostage by the sect some time ago and were conscripted.

Others include: Alhaji Ali, male, 25 years of Alagarno village, Abubakar Mele, male, 30 years of Yasko village, Modu Umar, male, 20 years of Bursum village, Modu Maina, male, 15 years of Bursum village, Ali Kolo, male, 20 years of Alagarno village, Bintu Abubakar, female, 14 years of Yasko village, Falmata Abubakar, female, 15 years of Yasko village, Hauwa Ali, female, 15 years of Alagarno village, Husam Ali, female, 14 years, of Alagarno village, Mallam Modu, female, 16 years of Bursum village.

He said children numbering five, between the ages of one year to eight years old were also rescued.
Isuku said all the surrendered terrorists and the rescued victims “have since made useful statements that will assist in the counter Insurgency campaign of the military.”

He disclosed that they are presently undergoing preliminary profiling preparatory to transfer to the military.

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