MILITARY commanders have revealed that over 200 Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered to troops of the Seventh Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri and asked to be reabsorbed into society.
Since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29, the Nigerian Army has stepped up its offensive against Boko Haram and has succeeded in recapturing all of the 14 local government areas the terrorists controlled. Under its Operation Lafiya Dole, the army has also succeeded in freeing thousands of captives.
According to Major General Mohammed Abubakar, the theatre commander, those who surrendered were mainly women and children. He added that the army is stepping up its offensive in Borno State and this is probably what made the terrorists surrender.
Major General Abubakar said: “I am happy to inform you that over 200 terrorists group surrendered to my troops around Banki town on Thursday. The field commander just called me and briefed me about the development.
“We are calling on other terrorists to surrender as anyone who surrenders will be reintegrated into the society. Presently, we have 36 internally displaced persons camps in the north east and all those who surrendered to troops were screened before taken to these camps pending when the closed down roads will be reopen for motorists so that the displaced people will go back to their liberated communities."
He added that army engineers have started reconstructing the destroyed bridges along the Gamboru-Ngala- Maiduguri, Gombi- Garkida- Biu roads among others. Major General Abubakar added that very soon the menace of Boko Haram madness will be over but pointed out that this cannot be achieved without the full cooperation of the media and the general public.
He pointed this out as the Nigerian Army revealed that some elders and leaders in Borno State and other parts of the northeast are working against the resolve by the military and other security agencies to ensure they bring the terrorists activities of Boko Haram group to an end by December. According to army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman, these persons including top politicians are said to have gone to the extent of employing the services of marabouts to reverse the gains made so far in the war against insurgency.
Col Usman warned that such elders, whose sinister machinations security agencies were aware of, risk arrest and will be dealt with in accordance with the law if caught. He added that they were determined to reverse the gains made and scuttle army efforts of achieving the presidential directive to defeat Boko Haram terrorists within three months.
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