Edozie Udeojo, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters yesterday said more Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have continued to surrender to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) in the North East.
The coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said several others have been killed and others captured in the renewed military offensive to wipe out terrorists.
Enenche in a statement on the update of military operations in the last one week,said several arms, ammunition and other lethal weapons were recovered from the terrorists by the soldiers who also rescued some kidnaped persons.
The statement reads: “As the military inches closer to the final defeat of insurgency in the North East region, more Boko Haram/ISWAP elements are either being arrested or neutraized and their equipment captured or destroyed while others continue to surrender amidst sustained artillery bombardments and offensive onslaught against their enclaves/hideouts by the gallant troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.
“On May 29 , another Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province fighter, Muhammadu Abubakar (AKA Babagana) surrendered to troops of 242 Battalion deployed at Charlie Six check point in Mongonu, Borno State. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the 19-year-old repentant Boko Haram fighter joined the group about a year ago at Shaharam and participated in the attack on Tumbun Shaje. Regretting his past actions, Babagana called on his erstwhile colleagues who are currently in a state of despair and confusion in the forests to surrender to the troops of the Nigerian Army.
“It would be recalled that on May24 ,another Boko Haram fighter Malam Adamu Yahaya (aka Saad Karami) surrendered to troops of 242 Battalion in Mongonu.
In a related development on the same day, another Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province fighter, 35-year-old, Muhammadu Kabudumi (AKA Amir Sabat) also surrendered to the troops 242 Battalion in Monguno Borno State. Kabudumi confessed joining the Boko Haram sect in 2015 but denied participating in any of the sects’ operations. He however, revealed that he has done duties at Boko Haram criminals’ camps at Abadam, Malam Fatori and Duguri under the leadership of Muhammadu Lawan, a notorious Boko Haram Commander.