The Nigerian Army says the intensity of fire by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, has forced more Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists to surrender in the North East

Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Nwachukwu said the terrorists, who surrendered with their families, had hitherto hibernated around the fringes of Sambisa forest area of Borno before yielding to troops’ heavy artillery and air bombardments on August 2.

He said the surrendered terrorists comprised 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children from Njimia village and environs.

According to him, the terrorists who also surrendered several assorted weapons and incendiaries, lamented that the condition in the forest had become untenable, hence their surrendering.

Mr Nwachukwu said the firearms and incendiaries recovered from the terrorists included eight AA47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifles and one dane gun.

He added that one Makarov pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 66 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, five 9mm rounds of ammunition, two hand grenades, 27 AK47 rifle magazines and two FN rifle magazines were also recovered.

Also recovered, according to him are one pistol magazine, one 60mm mortar bomb, 10 14.5mm empty cases, two primed suicide vests, 72 trigger switches, 10 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and five electric detonating chords.

It also included six packs of water gel explosives, six mobile phones, one camouflage bag, two hard drives and N55,000 among others.

“The terrorists and their families are currently undergoing comprehensive security profiling and preliminary investigations, while the children have been administered the oral polio vaccines,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Nwachukwu said that the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Faruk Yahaya, has commended the troops for the sustained offensive and clearance operations conducted in the theatre.

He, however, charged them to maintain the momentum. 

(NAN)