Nigerian Army rescues 1,880 women, children from Sambisa Forest

The Nigerian Army has said it has rescued additional 1,880 women and children from Boko Haram insurgents in the Sambisa Forest, the News Agency of Niogeria (NAN) has reported.

Major-General Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said this during a news conference at the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, on Wednesday.

Irabor said troops also arrested about 504 Boko Haram terrorists while 19 of them willingly surrendered.

He said the Army had arrested about 37 foreigners who were currently undergoing interrogations to ascertain whether they were terrorists or not.

“We also arrested about seven kidnappers and we are currently interrogating them.

“Our troops have continued to make significant progress in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

“I gladly say our troops have successfully mopped up all the areas in Sambisa Forest, including gate one.

“We are currently in camp zero; I am not going to tell you what we are doing there.

“But I can assure you that we are recording remarkable successes.”

Irabor called on the general public, especially female students of tertiary institutions to be wary of new recruitment website, “as Boko Haram insurgency is an evil that is determined to destroy the society.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army, on Wednesday ,said it had commenced construction  of road network from Alagarno to Sambisa to ease troops’ operations in mopping up Boko Haram insurgents in the forest.

Major-General  Irabor,  the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, stated this during a press conference  at the Maimalari military cantonment, Maiduguri.

“We have embarked on roads construction within the Sambisa forest to open up the area and also ease our operations within the theatre.

“Construction  of the roads will assist fighting troops in their effort to mop up the Boko Haram insurgents from their hideouts,” Irabor said.

He called on individuals and corporate organisations to support the military as government alone could not do everything.

Irabor said construction of roads was essential to reviving the economic development of the North-East.

“I also urge the general public to continue to support the military in  the North-East through provision of useful information and not to follow the ways of some media outfits who are bent on bringing down the military,” the commander said.