Borno: 120 Boko Haram Members Arrested At Killed Commander's Funeral

SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 120 suspected members of Boko Haram have been arrested by the military special force in Borno State at the funeral of a commander of the sect in Maiduguri, the state capital.

This followed the total clampdown on the sect members under the ongoing emergency rule declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Disclosing this in a statement on Monday, Defence Spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, said the arrested Boko Haram members were arrested while organising a burial for their commander who was killed in a crossfire with the military.

Olukolade said the arrested terrorists are currently being held in the custody of the Joint Task Force (JTF) for further interrogation.

Olukolade, who added that the Special Force has destroyed all the camps of the terrorists in areas such as New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo, said the military has secured all the areas.

According to the statement, the military were already interacting with local residents, assuring them of their safety and freedom from the activities of the gunmen .

It added that the Boko Haram gunmen fleeing towards neighbouring Chad and Niger Republic are being contained by the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) at the borders.

Olubolade stressed further that the military uncovered some shallow graves believed to be those of hurriedly buried terrorists during the raid on the stronghold of Boko Haram.

In a related development, the Defence Headquarters has described as doubtful and questionable some stories and photographs purportedly taken in the areas raided by the Special Force showing Nigerians fleeing to neighbouring countries.

This came as more than 2,000 Nigerians living in border villages in Borno State were reported to be fleeing in droves into neighbouring Niger and Chad as a result of the ongoing onslaught against the insurgents.

Many residents of Maiduguri and other communities who live far from the borders were also said to have fled to some neighbouring states, including Kano and Bauchi.

“Most of the residents of border villages of Borno have fled to Niger. About 2,000 people from Abadan, Malam Fatori and other villages are now refugees in Difa, Niger Republic,” a top security officer was quoted as saying.

According to the officer, the JTF was on the trail of the members of Boko Haram dislodged from the Sambisa Game Reserve and other camps in Borno State on Thursday.