220 members of the terrorists group, Boko Haram, have been captured by troops of the Nigerian Army in the different clearance operations in the North East.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Friday.
He said the troops captured 167 insurgents after raiding their enclaves in Lake Chad Basin while 53 others were captured in northern parts of Borno State.
In the operation, according to Nwachukwu, 67 women and 173 children, who were family members of the insurgents, were freed.
He said the troops had also continued the offensive to clear remnants of the insurgents in the region.
Said he: “Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have intensified offensive on Boko Haram enclaves in the Island around Lake Chad.
“The offensive which commenced about two weeks ago with coordinated air and artillery bombardments on Boko Haram enclaves is yielding positive results, as several insurgents have been killed while 167 fleeing insurgents have been captured by troops.
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“Troops also extricated and profiled 67 women and 173 children who revealed during profiling exercise that they are family members of the insurgents who fled the troops’ offensive,” he said.
Nwachukwu said plans were going on to handover the women and children to authorities of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, after completing preliminary investigations.
He also disclosed that the troops cleared the insurgents’ hideouts at Saada and Juwei villages in the fringes of northern Borno.
“During the operations, troops intercepted and arrested 53 fleeing insurgents who have been profiled and are currently helping with investigations.
“Fifteen insurgents have also willingly renounced the sect and surrendered, dismissing it as futile struggle.”
Nwachukwu, while stressing the commitment of the troops to bring an end to the activities of the terrorists sympathised with families of troops and civilians who died in the encounters and the callous suicide bombing attacks by the terrorists.
