Troops Intercept 69 Suspected Fleeing Boko Haram Family Members In Borno

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016

…killed 9 Armed Bandits In Zamfara

By Abdul Gaffar Bello

BORNO, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A total of 69 suspected family members of Boko Haram terrorists have been intercepted while escaping from Sambisa forest in Borno State.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Wednesday indicated that troops of 81 Battalion and 251 Task Force Battalion deployed at an Observation Post Wednesday sighted the suspects while approaching its Check Point at Liwanti village along Damboa-Bulabulin road, of the North East State.

Out of that number, Defence confirmed that seven of them were men, 18 women, 7 grown up boys and 37 children.

“At the initial state of interrogation, they claimed to have escaped from Boko Haram terrorist’s captivity at Ngwalimari village in Sambisa forest general area. But further interrogation revealed otherwise” the Military said.

Items recovered from the fleeing suspected terrorist families included: 15 bicycles, five Dane Guns and other personal effects, adding that further and thorough investigation were still ongoing to ascertain more information from them.

In a related development, DHQ indicated that in continuation of clearing of cattle rustlers, armed bandits and kidnappers from the North western geo-political region, troops of 1 Division in conjunction with other security agencies have encountered and engaged notorious armed bandits that have been wrecking havoc on the communities.

The troops from 223 Battalion, 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army during the patrol to Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killed nine of the bandits, while a few escaped with gunshot wounds. The team army confirmed recovered 3 AK-47 rifles, 4 AK-47 rifle magazines, 5 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, a machete and 24 motorcycles after a thorough combing of the general area.

Similarly, army confirmed that local vigilantes at ‘Yargada village, Gusau Local Government Area apprehended another armed bandit.