The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said that the troops “were able to rescue quite a number of abducted persons, arrested suspected Boko Haram terrorists, recovered weapons and equipment”.
Usman said that the troops of 81 Battalion and 251 Task Force Battalion, 25 Task Force Brigade, had on May 30, 2016, received 79 persons, who claimed to have been kept captives by Boko Haram terrorists at Ngwalimiri village but escaped at their location. They comprised 12 men, 24 women, 31 children and 12 infants.
He noted that “all of them are undergoing preliminary investigation and screening to determine their status before onward movement to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp for rehabilitation”.
In furtherance of the efforts to keep Bitta-Damboa road open and secure to commuters, he said, troops of 28 Task Force Brigade have cleared Bulajani, Mulgwo and Muotu villages of remnants of Boko Haram elements.
The DAPR stated that during an encounter at Moutu specifically, a soldier sustained an injury on the forehead, while five Boko Haram terrorists were killed by the troops, while a few others were suspected to escape with gun shot wounds.
He said: “The troops recovered 3 locally made guns.
“The advancing troops linked up with their counterparts of 25 Task Force Brigade at Gombori village and rescued 157 persons escaping from Boko Haram terrorists captivity. The rescued persons comprised 47 women, 91 children, 19 men. They are currently undergoing preliminary investigation and thorough screening to also determine their status.”
In a related development, Usman also said that the troops of 7 Division Garrison arrested a 28 year old suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ spy, Musa Mallam Aman, around the Garrison Headquarters complex in Maiduguri metropolis.
He stated that preliminary investigation confirmed that he hailed from Maradhi village in Niger Republic and added that he was not alone as there were Boko Haram terrorists spies in Maiduguri.
He said that while efforts have been intensified to track and arrest his other accomplices, Musa has since been handed over to Joint Interrogation Committee (JIC).
The Army Spokesman said that the “troops of 22 Brigade Garrison and their Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Dikwa have also embarked on routine and fighting patrols to maintain security on construction and rehabilitation works of public buildings and infrastructure that would facilitate return of public officials and people back to their ancestral homes”.
In addition, he said, the troops have been carrying out clearance operations and patrols to keep Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa-Gomboru Ngala road open and secure.
Usman also said that the troops of 26 Task Force Brigade on their part, have intensified patrols and clearance operations in their area of responsibility. It was in that process that they discovered an Unexploded Object (UXO) and its casing at Hausari Street Gada Mayo on Tuesday afternoon.
He further stated that another patrol team of the Brigade yesterday successfully cleared Boko Haram terrorists hideouts along Gwoza-Kwatara-Kasa-Uvaha hills.
There, he said, the troops also rescued four men, two women and five children that fled Boko Haram terrorists location at Uvaha as a result of the formation’s offensive against the terrorists.
Usman also disclosed that ” 77 Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered themselves to troops of 122 Task Force Battalion.
“They comprised 17 men, 16 women, 16 male children and 28 female children. The surrendered terrorists have been moved to Yamteke by combined team of 26 Task Force Brigade for preliminary investigation and screening.”
Usman also revealed the arrest of a deserter soldier, 03NA/53/3098 Corporal Musa Titima of 117 Task Force Battalion, attached to 114 Task Force Battalion, who absconded from duty while on Operation Crackdown at Bitta.
The soldier, he said, was also allegedly involved in a fracas with Mr Salisu Ngatha at Kabang Ward on May 30, 2016 that led to the death of the civilian.
He said that the soldier has been moved to the Brigade headquarters for proper investigation and other disciplinary process.
Following tip off by well meaning Nigerians, Usman said, troops of 7 Division Garrison, conducted clearance patrol at the following villages; Abachari, Asanari, Mediari, Toluwari, Chuwnari, Gaya, Zarumari, Alanari, Shuwari, Ngadaya, Chempo, Samaa, Matari, Utoro and Kayamla in Jere and Konduga Local Government Areas of Borno State on May 31, 2016.
He stated that during the patrol, troops came in contact with members of Boko Haram terrorists group at Samaa village, killing a number of them and recovered three motorcycles, 143 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, two bicycles, two bags if mango, a tricycle tyre pump two water bottles and pellets for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) making.
