The Theatre Commander Joint Taskforce Northeast ‘Operation HADIN KAI’ Major General Christopher Musa on Tuesday handed over two rescued Chibok school girls who have been in the captivity of Boko Haram for the past nine years.
The rescued girls, Hauwa Joseph is on the serial number 18, while Mary Dauda is on serial number 46 based on the list of the over 200 missing Chibok girls who were abducted at Government Secondary School in Chibok town of Borno state on 14th April, 2014.
Each of the rescued girls is carrying a baby of about one and half year old, Unfortunately they were remarried to another terrorists after troops killed their first husbands.
Briefing Journalists at Headquarters Theatre Command Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander, Major General Musa said, concerted efforts are been put in place to rescue the remaining Chibok girls and all those who are still under the captivity of terrorists/criminals in the region.
” I am delighted to inform you some of the major achievements recorded by troops in the Theatre.
“Apart from rescuing these two Chibok girls with their children, we have also decimated dozens of terrorists who have been hiding in the Sambisa forest, especially the Timbuktu Triangle during our fighting patrols.
“As the rainy season set in and alot of farmers are willing to go to their farms, we will work tirelessly to provide safety of our farmers in their farming activities, but we want to appeal that the farmers should be wary of some planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by terrorists in some areas, even though, the military is doing everything possible to clear most of the places suspected to have unexploded IEDs planted by terrorists in the region.
“I want to also appeal to the State Government and other philantrophic organisations to assist farmers with agricultural inputs or farming tools to boost the morale of the teaming farmers who have since relocated to their liberated communities,” he said.
On the much talked about reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu 185km road which was closed down for motorists for some years ago, General Musa said, troops are currently combing the road which passed through the sambisa forest.
He appealed to Borno State Government and other Non- Governmental Organisations, NGOs to collaborate with troops fix some portions of the said road for easy access, as troops continue clearance of unexploded IEDs planted along the road.
Speaking on how the Chibok girls were rescued, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Waidi Shaibu said, Hauwa Joseph was rescued with her child on the 12th June, 2022 in Bama local government area, while Mary Dauda was rescued with her child on 14th June same year during troops’ fighting patrol in the Division Area of Responsibility.
General Shaibu said, all the girls and their children have undergone proper medical check- up and treatment, before handing them over to the Government that would subsequently reunite them with their parents.
Responding the rescued girls thanked the military for displaying gallant efforts in rescuing them from Boko Haram captivity.
Both narrated how they each suffered while captivity of terrorists in the past nine years.