Troops involved in the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the North-East have arrested a number of terrorists who disguised as women in Baga, Borno State.
Baga, the headquarters of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, was captured by the insurgents in January but was recaptured by the Special Forces on Saturday.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, who stated this in a statement on Monday, did not give the exact number of the terrorists arrested, who disguised as women.
Olukolade had said in an earlier statement on Sunday that troops were screening a group of people, mostly women in Baga, to ascertain their true identities and to find out whether they were supporters of the deadly sect or not.
The Defence spokesman said the troops had arrested many terrorists hiding in Baga apart from those captured during the battle to liberate the town.
Olukolade, who added that several arms and bombs, hidden on locations within Baga, were recovered, stated that those in custody were being interrogated.
He said, “The cordon and search in Baga has revealed some terrorists disguising as women. The searches are also yielding more discoveries of arms, especially bombs, hidden in various locations, especially in Baga town.
“Apart from those captured in the course of fighting, many arrests of terrorists hiding in the town are being made and troops are still busy interrogating the suspects.”
He explained that the Nigerian Air Force had intensified the bombardment of terrorists’ strongholds in Gwoza, Bama and the Sambisa Forest in consonance with the mandate to flush them out of the areas.
