THE Nigerian Army on Saturday announced the capture of 10 suspected key Boko Haram members at Bitta in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, as they tried to escape during an attack,according to a report.
Aminu Iliyasu, Nigeria’s Army Operations Media Coordinator, a colonel, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja affirming that the sting operation conducted by troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade, which led to the arrest of the suspects, was a success.
In his statement, he confirmed that some of the arrested members have been identified to have operated combat vehicles during the infamous Boko Haram attack on Gwoza in 2014.
“The arrested suspects include Shettima Mustapha Umar, Abba Buji, Alhaji Bukar Madu-(KAHID – a Boko Haram Terrorists’ equivalent of a Brigadier General), Ali Hassan (Boko Haram Terrorist Imam) and Alkali Laminu.
“Others are Bukur Mustapha, Buba Umaru (alias Black Uhuru) also a KAHID, Madu Nosobe, Mustapha Hussain and Umar Jeddum all from Bama LGA of Borno State.
“It is gratifying to note that one of the arrested suspects, Alhaji Bukar Modu is Serial 89 on the high profile Boko Haram leaders wanted list published by the authorities of the Nigerian Army,’’ he said.
Iliyasu said that the troops of the Nigerian Army had raised up the bar on their operations across the nation to checkmate the activities of criminals, and the operations have been yielding results.
He also said that troops of 1 Division Garrison Tactical Headquarters, Kaduna, intercepted suspected cattle rustlers and recovered 23 rustled cows in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
According to him, the army is making effort to identify the owners of the stolen livestock.
Iliyasu said five herdsmen complicit in the murder of one Haliru Yahaya on his farm in Birniwa in Jigawa State were arrested in a joint operation by the army and police.
The operations spokesman said the arrested suspects were currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police in Birniwa while troops maintain vigilance in the area to forestall escalation.
Armed robbers, kidnappers, vandals and oil bunkers were also arrested in Edo, Ondo, Ogun, Plateau, Delta and Rivers states in different operations of the army, Iliyasu said.
Amos Abba is a journalist with the International Center for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, who believes that courageous investigative reporting is the key to social justice and accountability in the society.