- Surrender linked to ongoing artillery and bombardments at Sambisa Forest
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said the surrender of 87 Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province terrorists and their families surrendered to Operation Hadin Kai troops at Forward Operational Base in Bama, Borno State because of the ongoing artillery and bombardments at the Sambisa Forest.
Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement that the surrendered terrorists comprise of 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children.
General Nwachukwu added that eight AK 47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun, two Fabrique Nationale Rifles, one Dane Gun, one Makarov Pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition among others were recovered from them.
The statement, titled ‘Operation Hadin Kai: More BHTS/ISWAP fighters surrender as troops intensify offensive operations’ reads: “In continuation of the ongoing intensive clearance operations across the theatre of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), more Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) and elements of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and their families, who have hitherto hibernated around the fringes of Sambisa forest have yielded to troops’ heavy artillery and air bombardments and surrendered to troops at Forward Operational Base (FOB) Banki Junction/BOCOBS in Bama, Borno State on 2 August 2021
“The terrorists who also surrendered several assorted weapons and incendiaries, comprised 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children from Njimia village and environs. The terrorists lamented that the ground and condition in the forest have become untenable, hence their surrendering.
“The fire arms and incendiaries recovered from the terrorists include, 8 AK 47 rifles, 1General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 2 Fabrique Nationale (FN) Rifles, 1 Dane Gun, 1Makarov Pistol, 89 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 89 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 66 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 5 x 9mm rounds of ammunition, 2 Hand Grenades, 27 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 2 FN Rifle magazines.
“Others are 1 pistol magazine, 1 x 60mm Mortar Bomb, 10 x14.5mm empty cases, 2 primed suicide vests, 72 trigger switches, 10 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), 5 Electric Detonating Chords, 6 packs of Water Gel Explosives, 6 Mobile Phones, 1 Camel Pack, 1 Cammoulage bag, 2 Hard drives, 1 Plier, 2 Unserviceable Hand held Radios, 2 Scissors, and needles, 2 Match boxes and the sum of Fifty Five Thousand Naira (N55,000:00) only.
“The terrorists and their families are currently undergoing comprehensive security profiling and preliminary investigations, while the children have been administered with oral polio vaccines.
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has commended the troops for the sustained offensive and clearance operations conducted in the theatre. He charged them to maintain the momentum of the operations.”
