91 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, families surrender

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Ninety-one Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and their families have surrendered to the Nigerian Army in the North East.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the troops of 202 Battalion took custody of eight insurgents and their families, comprising 10 adult females and 22 children, who surrendered at Ruwaza village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

He said the troops of Forward Operational Base (FOB) operating along BoCobs-Bama road also arrested 20 terrorists and their families, who surrendered to troops at Nbewa village also in Bama Local Government Area.

According to him, the surrendered families of the insurgents comprised 15 adult females and 26 children.

“The suspects all surrendered to the troops, during clearance operations in the areas on July 29, following ongoing intense clearance operations by troops in the general areas.

“The children among the surrendering suspects have been vaccinated with polio vaccines, while the adult and female suspects, who have been documented and screened are currently undergoing preliminary investigations,” he said.

Nwachukwu also disclosed that troops of 73 Battalion, in conjunction with a combined team of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hunters, intercepted a terrorists’ logistics supplier during a fighting patrol along Molai-Damboa road.

He said the team swiftly mobilised and stormed the location, where they arrested the suspect, while he was perfecting plans to deliver logistics to the insurgents in the forest.

He said the items recovered from the suspect include a vehicle, four jerry cans of 30 litres of PMS, one 4-litre gallon of engine oil, one motorcycle pump, one oil treatment and one torchlight.

According to him, other items recovered are one mosquito net, two praying mats, two blankets, four spanners, 10 packets of 1.5v battery and three dozens of diamond rubber solutions.

“Others are five packets of candies, five packets of seasoning and measures of other foodstuffs,” he said.

NAN