The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai yesterday declared 100 members of the Boko Haram sect wanted.
Their arrest, he said, would help in the final push against the terrorists in the Northeast.
Gen. Buratai spoke at the launch of the anti-Boko Haram Terrorists Campaign materials at the Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, headquarters of the 7 Division. He displayed the photographs of the wanted men and sought public help in getting them.
“The fight against Boko Haram insurgency is a collective responsibility of all, including the media. These photographs of terrorists’ suspects are to be identified with their numbers attached to each of the 100 photos, while members of the general public could send in more information on the locations or whereabouts of these Boko Haram sect members that appeared in these special photo identifications. Each of the suspects must have either participated or be involved in the ongoing war in the theatre operations of Lafiya Dole.
“If any member of the general public identifies the location and whereabouts of these suspects, please contact these three telephone numbers in this launched anti-terrorism campaign materials in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.”
Gen. Buratai announced what he called a handsome reward for any person with useful information on the wanted men.
He enjoined Nigerians to use the following telephone numbers to reach the military – 0818155888, 08160030300 and 07053333123.
Army spo0kesman Col. Sani Usman yesterday said troops rescued 338 hostages following an attack on Boko Haram camps.
Soldiers of the 28 Task Force Brigade deployed in Bitta and Pridang, killed 30 members of the sect, he said.
The military raided Boko Haram camps around Bulajilin and Manawashe villages on Bita and Damboa road on the fringes of Sambisa Forest, he added.
Col. Usman said those rescued include eight men, 138 women and 192 children.
Those rescued were evacuated to Mubi in Adamawa State for profiling and debriefing.
Arms and ammunition recovered by the troops are one General Purpose Machine Gun and two dane guns; 150 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) bullets, six boxes of 7.62mm (NATO) bullets and three cutlasses.
Acting on a tip off, troops also ambushed and killed four suspected Boko Haram terrorists who were on a suicide bombing mission to Gubula in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Two AK-47 rifles, unexploded ordinance, mortar bombs and N153,385 cash were recovered.
“Having appealed and given the terrorists final warning, we would like to state that from now on, troops within bounds of respect for human rights and rules of engagement, shall continue to decisively deal with Boko Haram terrorists until they are defeated”, the Army spokesman said.
The army also yesterday foiled a suicide attack in Adamawa State. It was learnt that soldiers in Mubi intercepted a middle-age woman with an improvised explosive device.
The woman was said to have concealed the device in her hand bag, while heading for the market in Gubula village “to accomplish her evil mission”.
After foiling the attack, the army cordoned off the area and discovered hidden explosive devices.-Guardian.
