Army releases 249 Boko Haram suspected terrorists

The Nigerian Army on Monday said it freed 249 suspected Boko Haram insurgents and their accomplices, who had been in its detention facilities in Maiduguri, Borno State.

This is just as troops intercepted and arrested a suicide bomber in the state, foiling his planned attack.

A statement through the Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, said that the suspects were released by the Joint Interrogation as approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

‪Usman said that those cleared and released included 169 males, 46 women and 34 children.

Further breakdown of the figure showed that 203 of them were from 18 Local Government Areas of Borno State, while 44 were from other states as follows: Adamawa 2, Jigawa 2, Lagos 1, Oyo 1 and Yobe 38. However, 2 of them were from the Republic of Cameroon.

The Army spokesman said that the released persons were handed over to Borno State Government through the Commissioner for Local Government by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu.

He said that each of the freed persons was given a token of N3, 000.

Usman said: “Yesterday (Sunday), a total of 249 cleared suspected Boko Haram terrorists and accomplices were released… as approved by the chief of army staff in Maiduguri. Each of them was given a token of N3,000 (naira, $10.4, 9.4 euros)”.

However, he said the two foreigners were handed over to the Borno State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service.

The Army spokesman said that the Commissioner had advised the released persons to remain law abiding and go about their lawful businesses.

He was said to have also commended the effort of the military in the fight against terrorism and insurgency and respect for human rights as manifested in the painstaking efforts that led to their clearance and subsequent release.

Also, the Army spokesman said that troops of 101 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison on foot patrol along with some elements of Civilian JTF, on Monday, intercepted a suspected male suicide bomber at Sabon Gari Jidari.

“The suspect carrying primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in a blue stabiliser casing gave his name as Yusuf Tasiu.

“He was dispossessed of the explosives while the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Devices expert safely detonated it. The suicide bomber is currently being interrogated”, he said.

In a related development, the DAPR said that Vigilante group at Njidari village, South East of Damboa, conducted clearance operations against suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideout close to Ngwalimeri village, east of Bale in Borno State.

The vigilante, he said, destroyed the camp and recovered 1 AK-47 rifle with registration number 565203224 with locally fabricated 5 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunitions and a pair of military uniform.

Usman disclosed that the leader of the vigilante handed over same to the Headquarters of 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa.