Boko Haram: JTF Begins House -To -House Search In Borno

Huhuonline.com can report that the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has swung into action for a house to house check insearch of illegal weapons in troubled Borno state. The Military action, according to dependable sources, is coming on the heels of an earlier

 warning from members of the JTF stationed in Maiduguri, where it told residents to surrender and handover all illegal weapons to security agencies on or before October 31st, 2011.

Recall that the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Brigadier General Jack Nwaogbo had advised members of the general public, particularly those in possession of dangerous weapons in their houses to surrender them before the end of October or face disciplinary Military action.

Huhuonline.com investigation reveals that the JTF has started searching some suspected houses in flashpoint areas of Bulunkutu, Klorori, Bullabulin Ngarnam, Mafoni and Gomari wards of Maiduguri and Jere local government areas for possible presence of such arms, after they had condoned off the area and forcing residents to stay indoors while the operation lasted.

Also, in Ngomari Airport ward, another notable flashpoint area, the security operatives were at Gomari Bus-stop road, through the Bus stop area to Dunu Palace Hotel and COCIN Church as early as 5:15am, Tuesday in the house to house search exercise.

The search operation, according to a JTF source, is yet to yield required result since only Dane guns, double barrel and pump action guns which are legally licensed by their owners have so far been recovered, adding that the security operatives were still searching for sophisticated weapons like AK47 riffles that are mostly used by criminals in the state.

But speaking on the outcome of the house to house search, the spokesman of the JTF, Col. Hassan Mohammed, who refused to give details of how many weapons have been recovered in the exercise, said the action is yielding positive effects, as residents are fully cooperating with the security agencies.

'I cannot tell you how many guns we have received or recovered, as by doing so at this moment will hinder our effort, but all I can tell you is that we are still receiving more weapons from members of the public, and after we have identified those that are licensed or legally possessed, definitely we will return them back to their owners, while those that are illegally possessed would face disciplinary action.'

Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Simeone Midenda, who urged those who are in possession of dangerous weapons to hand over to the police or other security outfits in the state lauded the support and cooperation of residents in Maiduguri. He advised them not to panic, but to go about their normal businesses, as police and other security agencies are on top of the security challenges in the state.

Meanwhile, residents have called on the JTF to announce to the public that they are going to embark on search action instead of taking them unaware, adding that such enlightenment would make the Military achieve more positive results.