68 Boko Haram insurgents surrender in Borno

Nigerian soldiers prepare to head off in search of Boko Haram militants outside Maiduguri, in northeast Nigeria, in March 2016. PHOTO:AFP

The Nigerian Army on Thursday said 68 Boko Haram insurgents surrendered to troops in Borno in the last three weeks.

Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, said in a statement released in Maiduguri.

Nwachukwu said that the military had intensified campaign through coordinated air and land offensive against the insurgents.

“Air and artillery bombardments were backed by long range patrols and ambushes targeted at preventing fleeing Boko Haram insurgents from escaping and also denying them access to logistics supply,” he said.

Nwachukwu said that the sustained operations had brought the insurgents to the brink of defeat thereby forcing many of them to surrender.

“In their testimonies, the insurgents revealed that most of their enclaves are untenable which made life unbearable for them.

“The relentless offensive forced many of them to surrender to the troops.
“Those who surrendered are currently undergoing rehabilitation and deradicalisation process under the Federal Government’s Safe Corridor operation.

“Undoubtedly, the ongoing operations by troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE are yielding results by putting enormous pressure on the insurgents.

“Evidently, this led to the recent plea by one of the factional group leaders calling for international support”.

The command’s spokesman called on Boko Haram insurgents to renounce their heinous acts and surrender.

Nwachukwu reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to guarantee their safety and well-being.