Sambisa: Army arrests 1,240 B’Haram Suspects, Recovers Shekau’s Qur’an

The Nigeria Army said it had arrested about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists during a mop-up operation by troops in Sambisa Forest.The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen.

Lucky Irabor, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Operation Rescue Final at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri. Irabor said 413 of the suspects were adults; 323 were female adults; 251 male children, while 253 were female children.He stated, “We are interrogating them to know whether they are Boko Haram members, because there is no way somebody that is not a member would live inside the Sambisa Forest.“We are still on the trail of the terrorists and I want to assure you that all escape routes have been blocked.“Within this period, also, about 30 fleeing suspected Boko Haram members have surrendered to the Niger Multinational Troops on the shores of the Lake Chad and we learnt that they were taken to Difa in Niger Republic.“The suspects include 24 males and six females.“We will like to use this opportunity to encourage the terrorists to give up the fight because the window is still open.”Irabor added that the Army had recovered a Qu’ran, and a Boko Haram flag, suspected to belong to the terrorists’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, in Sambisa Forest.
Irabor noted that the book would be handed over to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, for onward delivery to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Punch