The High Command of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday said that in continuation of the ongoing intensive clearance operations across the theatre of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), more Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) and elements of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and their families, who have hitherto hibernated around the fringes of Sambisa forest have surrendered to troops at Forward Operational Base (FOB), Banki Junction/BOCOBS in Bama, Borno State.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Directior, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army High Command stated that the terrorists surrendered following troops’ heavy artillery and air bombardment of the Sambisa forest
Gen Nwachukwu explained that the Terrorists who also surrendered several assorted weapons and incendiaries comprised 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children from Njimia village and environs.
He added that the terrorists lamented that the ground and condition in the forest have become untenable, hence their surrendering.
According to him, the firearms and incendiaries recovered from the terrorists include, “8 AK 47 rifles, 1General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 2 Fabrique Nationale (FN) Rifles, 1 Dane Gun, 1Makarov Pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 66 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 5 x 9mm rounds of ammunition, 2 Hand Grenades, 27 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 2 FN Rifle magazines.
“Others are 1 pistol magazine, 1 x 60mm Mortar Bomb, 10 x14.5mm empty cases, 2 primed suicide vests, 72 trigger switches, 10 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), 5 Electric Detonating Chords, 6 packs of Water Gel Explosives, 6 Mobile Phones, 1 Camel Pack, 1 Cammoulage bag, 2 Hard drives, 1 Plier, 2 Unserviceable Handheld Radios, 2 Scissors, and needles, 2 Matchboxes and the sum of N55,000:00”.
He further added that the terrorists and their families were currently undergoing comprehensive security profiling and preliminary investigations, while the children have been administered oral polio vaccines.
He said that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya had commended the troops for the sustained offensive and clearance operations conducted in the theatre and charged them to maintain the momentum of the operations.
