Boko Haram: Army rescue 400 from villages

Abuja – Troops have rescued 400 people held hostage by the Boko Haram sect in some villages in Borno State. Three terrorists were killed during the operations while nine others were arrested. Army Spokesperson, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the operations were in compliance with the military high command’s directive which is to ensure that all villages and towns are cleared of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists. Under the Operation Lafiya Dole, aimed at eliminating the terror, troops cleared four villages where armed insurgents had been terrorizing locals. The terrorists were hibernating in Bosuma, Cinga, Mallum Maja and Murye villages.

Items recovered from them include Dane guns, machetes, a bow with arrows, motor cycles reportedly used by the Boko Haram terrorists to ferry slaughtered cow meat to hideouts. The troops also recovered 300 herds of cattle rustled by the Boko Haram terrorists from Fulani herdsmen and handed over to their rightful owners.

 “It is gratifying to state that we have not sustained any casualty to own troops and equipment and troops' morale remains very high,” said Usman. The Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of civilians during a violent campaign to carve an Islamic state. Some 20 000 people have been killed and 3 million displaced.