No fewer than 13,243 repentant terrorists and their families surrendered to troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria at different locations in the North East in the last two weeks, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig. Gen Benard Onyeuko said at a news briefing in Abuja on Thursday amid reintegration concerns
He hinted that military operations between October 1 and October 14 saw to the surrendering of about 3,243 are adult males while 3,868 are women. Children constitute about 6,234 of the total figure.
He added that no fewer than 29 terrorists were killed while 13 terrorists and their collaborators were arrested during the period.
Onyeuko said, “Consequently, more terrorists have continued to lay down their arms and surrender to our troops with their families as they could no longer withstand the offensive operations within the theatre. Some of these feats were recorded at; Gwoza – Yamtake – Bita road; Gwoza – Farm Centre – Yamtake road; Mandara Mountain area as well as Pulka and Hambagda towns; all in Borno State.
“Cumulatively, within the period a total of 29 terrorists were neutralised and 13 terrorists including their informants/collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested in the course of the operations.
“Additionally, a total of 38 assorted weapons and 968 rounds of assorted ammunition as well as 48 rustled livestock among several other items were recovered. So far, a total of 13,243 terrorists and their families comprising 3,243 adult males, 3,868 adult females and 6,234 children, have surrendered to oun troops at different locations in the North-East.”
He added that troops killed at least 40 bandits and arrested bandits’ collaborators on the wanted list of security operatives in the country during the same period.
Onyeuko said, “Troops of operation Hadarin Daji arrested some notorious armed bandits’ collaborators who have been on the watch list of security agencies namely; Mamuda Aliyu Dangulbi, Rilwan Sani Dangulbi, Yusuf Adamu Dangulbi and Yakubu Umar Maihuja at Dangulbi village in Maru LGA of Zamfara State.
“These arrested criminals and items recovered have been handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies for necessary action.”
He stated that in the period in focus, using a force package of Nigerian Air Force platforms, multiple airstrikes were executed on bandits’ enclaves in successive passes in different locations.
“One of which was at the Kwaga forest within Birnin Gwari general area in Kaduna State. In the course of the operation, no fewer than 40 armed bandits were neutralised and several structures which served as their logistics bases were destroyed,” he added.
Onyeuko said troops also discovered and deactivated a total of 51 illegal refining sites.
The military spokesman said the sites cumulatively had a total of 76 ovens, 52 cooking pots/boilers, 22 cooling systems, 102 reservoirs, 16 large dugout pits and 513 storage tanks as well as drums and sacks laden with illegally refined oil products.
‘8000 terrorists had earlier surrendered’
The Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, Abdulwahab Eyitayo, had in September said more than 8,000 Boko Haram terrorists have so far surrendered to troops.
He said the terrorists surrendered from their enclaves in Sambisa Forest, as well as other hideouts.
Mr Eyitayo, who is also the Commander, Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai, disclosed this during a visit by the Director, Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, and a team of Defence Correspondents from Abuja on Tuesday, in Maiduguri.
He said the surrender by the repentant terrorists was a welcome development, adding that, the overwhelming fire power of the troops was responsible.
‘A time window of surrender would no longer be available’
The GOC warned that a time would come that the window of surrender would no longer be available, urging the sympathisers of the terrorists to encourage them to come out.
He added that whoever supported the enemies of the state would also be treated as an enemy by the state forces.
He said the military was more determined than ever to deal decisively with the terrorists and their supporters.
Concerns
Meanwhile, the recent mass surrender of Boko Haram fighters and their family members in different parts of Borno has continued to generate opinions and different views among Nigerians.
While analysts are worried that most of the people that are surrendering to military authorities are not actual Boko Haram fighters but those trapped in enclaves, critics claim that are being pampered, even when it is believed that they had wrecked so much havoc on Nigerians.
The Theatre Commander, in September, however, urged Nigerians to discard the insinuation that the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists are being pampered, stating that the action of the military in receiving the surrendered terrorists was in line with international laws and best practices.
