A total of six hundred and sixty nine captives held by terrorists have been rescued by troops one week after President Muhamamadu Buhari gave a marching order to Security Chiefs to secure the release of all abducted Nigerians.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said 23 of the terrorists were killed, 19 arrested while 1,158 and their families surrendered in the renewed offensive against criminal elements in the Northern part of the country.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko, who disclosed these during the biweekly update on the Armed Forces of Nigeria operations, said the troops also arrested Abdurrazaq Hudu, a logistics supplier of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Mutum Biyu village in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Onyeuko stated further troops in the Northeast recovered 49 AK 47 rifles, 728 rounds of 7.62mm, four MG’s, one G3 rfiles, three 60mm mortar, one AA gun, one SMG, six Magazines, one hand grenade, one UXO anti tank RPG bomb, 11 dane guns, one gun tripod, one binocular, five bandoliers, eight crowbars.
Other items recovered, according to Director Defence Media Operations, include seven motorcycles, 31 bicycles, four heavy duty generators, three canoes, three tricycles, four motorcycles, 22 sewing machines, one video camera, four grinding machines, eight mobile phones, four cars, four trucks, one Toyota buffalo vehicle, eight drums of grains, medical syringes and 43,000:00 Naira cash.
“A total number of 1,158 terrorists and their families surrendered to own troops within the period under review comprising 164 men, 367 women and 627 children.
“Also, troops neutralised 23 terrorists, rescued 619 civilians and arrested 19 terrorists,” he said.
Onyeuko explained all surrendered Boko Haram terrorists, recovered items, rescued civilians and captured terrorists have been handed over to appropriate authorities for further actions.
Nation Online