Military arrests wanted terrorists, rescues 66 hostages

Troops of 25, 112 and 254 Task Force Battalions of Nigerian Army have arrested a Boko Haram wanted terrorist, and two others during an ‘Operation Crackdown’ on Friday, along Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa road in Borno State. The arrested terrorist, who was on wanted list, Sulaiman Umaru, was also in procession of N1.9 million cash, before he was moved for further interrogation at 28 Task Force Battalion headquarters.

Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who disclosed this yesterday, in a statement issued to newsmen in Maiduguri, said besides arrest of the wanted terrorists, the troops continued with operation crackdown to clear all remnants of Boko Haram insurgents in Sambisa Forest and northern part of the state.

“At about 1.35pm yesterday (Friday) troops of 143 Battalion arrested Sulaiman Umaru, a suspected Boko Haram terrorists group member whose photograph is among100 Boko Haram terrorists declared wanted.

“Troops of 21 Brigade have continued with the clearance operations at Yerimari, while troops of 22 Task Force Brigade Garrison has also embarked on patrols along 85- kilometre Dikwa-Mafa- Maiduguri road. The patrol was aimed at picketing the road to keep it safe and open to motorists,” the statement reads.

Usman also added, “Similarly, the same unit in conjunction with some elements of 112 Task Force Battalion conducted a fighting patrol along Dikwa-Gulumba Gana road. The team had a fierce fight with some Boko Haram terrorists, in which the troops killed quite a number of the insurgents.”