1,050 Boko haram surrender,many flee

The Nigerian Army on Saturday said 1,050
insurgents had surrendered to troops in Lake
Chad and Monguno general area of operations, as
it also warned that many of them were on the
run.
The army urged abutting communities to watch
out for the fleeing Boko Haram insurgents as
their enclaves in Lake Chad region came under
intense onslaught.
Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director,
Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole,
made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.
Nwachukwu disclosed that 250 fighters of the Al
Barnawi-led faction of the insurgents had
surrendered to Nigerian Army, sequel to artillery
and aerial bombardments by troops of Operation
Lafiya Dole of their enclaves in Lake Chad basin.
He added that 700 insurgents also surrendered to
troops at Monguno in an ongoing clearance
operation.
Nwachukwu explained that Mamman Nur, another
factional leader of the insurgents sustained fatal
injuries and one of his wives killed in the
operation, while many of the insurgents who
escaped, surrendered to Niger Defence Forces.
The army spokesman noted that some of the
insurgents fleeing from the ongoing offensive
were senior and junior commanders of the Al
Barnawi faction.
“The insurgents are attempting to melt into
communities in and around Kano, Geidam and
Gashua axis unnoticed. One of such fleeing
commanders is Bana Bafui.
“Members of the general public, particularly in
Kano, Geidam, Gashua, Hadejia and northern part
of Jigawa State are therefore enjoined to be
vigilant, watch out for strange faces in their
communities and report same to security
agencies.”
Nwachukwu called on the insurgents to surrender,
adding that the Federal Government had provided
a window through the Operation SAFE CORRIDOR
to encourage the insurgents’ voluntary surrender.
He revealed that about 300 insurgents were
currently undergoing de-radicalisation process for
possible integration into the society.
“We call on Boko Haram insurgents to abandon
the futile struggle; take advantage of the Safe
Corridor programme and surrender to troops in
any location nearest to them.
“We guarantee their safety and incorporation into
the programme for de-radicalisation and
rehabilitation.”(NAN)