The army on September 9, 2015 freed 128 suspected Boko Haram militants in Borno State and instead paraded 16 suspects arrested in Yobe.
The Nigerian army has embarked on a series of actions against Boko Haram. The army on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 said it had freed 128 suspected Boko Haram members arrested in different locations of Borno State, The Nigerian Voice reported. Colonel Dahiru Bako, an acting commander reportedly said some of the detainees were suspected of carrying out attacks while others were distributing supplies for the group.
Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai handed over the freed detainees to the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima at a ceremony in Maiduguri. “We are here to formally hand over those arrested in the process of our operations; we are pleased to hand over the 128 suspects that have been cleared by the joint intelligent core, which comprised the Army, the police and DSS,” Tukur Buratai was quoted as saying. He said that the detainees included 109 men, seven women, 11 boys and one unattached teenager, who were arrested at different parts of the State by the military in its anti-terrorism campaign.
Governor Kashim Shettima, Nigerian Voice stated, disclosed that after thorough screening by a team of military intelligence officers, the police and the Department of State Security Service (DSS), the suspects were found to be clean and were released. “The task of Operation Lifiya Dole can be seen in three terms, to defeat the insurgents to facilitate the humanitarian activities and observe human right and restore the administrative functions in the liberated area.
This is clear manifestation that the army is clearly professional,” the Army Chief of Staff said. The freed suspects now remember Governor Shettima’s message, “You should abstain yourselves from criminal activities as the government is ready to empower you so that you will be good citizens that can bring development to the society,” Nigerian Voice quoted.
The army on the same September 9, 2015 in the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, paraded 16 captured suspected Boko Haram militants, Bloomberg Business reported. Acting military commander, Colonel Dahiru Bako reportedly said that the military seized items from the suspects that included food, cannabis, cigarettes, fuels and fertilizers that can be used to make improved explosive devices.
