Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
September 10, 2022.
Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have neutralized 420 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast region.
The killings were made between June and August, 2022; with the arrests of 118 terrorists; in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region.
Theatre Commander, OPHK, Maj-Gen. Christopher Musa, disclosed these, at the weekend (Friday), while reviewing the joint counter-insurgency and terrorism operations.
He said that the arrested suspects, are logistic suppliers and informants to the two terror groups that had been attacking communities in the fringes of forest and Lake.
Besides, the arrests, over 16, 000 terrorists also surrendered to the Army.
“About 23, 000 women and 39, 000 children surrendered along with the repentant terrorists in the last three months of joint operations,” he noted.
According to him, the massive surrender was recorded in the Damboa/Gwoza/Bama axis of Sambisa Forest.
He further disclosed that 127 AK-47 rifles were also recovered during the period under review.
Speaking on the recorded successes, he said that the directives of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya to intensify operations to the terrorists’ hideouts, resulted to the massive killings, arrests and surrender of the repentant terrorists.
He noted that despite the difficult terrains during the rainy season, the ground troops succeeded in destroying several Boko Haram camps with massive arrests and recovery of arms and ammunition.
He added that the cooperation of the people to provide credible information to the army, also led to the surrender of 96, 000 terrorists and their families.
“If we meet you in the battle fields, there will be no choice for any surrender,” he warned.
Besides the surrender, he said that in the last three months, nine Chibok school girls were also rescued along with their babies.
“Our troops rescued Aisha Grema, Falmata Lawan and Asabe Ali in August and September with five babies,” he said.
He added that out of 276 abducted Chibok girls on April 14, 2014, 87 escaped, while 178 were rescued by the Army.
He lamented that 98 girls are still unaccounted for, eight years after their abduction by Boko Harm terrorists.
