JTF arrests hungry Boko Haram fighters

The Joint Task Force on Thursday arrested
some suspected Boko Haram members in
search of food in the forests of the
northern part of Borno State.
Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen.
Chris Olukolade, who issued the
information in an electronic mail on Friday,
also said some insurgents dislodged from
their camps were making efforts to
establish new ones.
Olukolade said the special forces were on
the trail of such suspected terrorists.
He said the hungry insurgents were
arrested by the special forces while
searching for large quantities of food in
the area.
The defence spokesman said the
suspected terrorists were tracked down
with the cooperation of members of the
communities.
He said the suspects were driving in a
Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep with registration
number XA 428 ADM, suspected to have
been stolen, when they were
apprehended by the security forces at
Daban Masara.
He said that items such as AK-47 rifles, a
single-barrelled shotgun, a double-
barrelled shotgun and various calibres of
ammunition were recovered from the
terrorists.
"The intensive cordon and search
operation being conducted by the troops
of the special forces received a major
boost from civilian cooperation in
communities close to locations being
focused in the operation yesterday.
"A group of terrorists moving from village
to village in search of large quantities of
food was tracked and apprehended
following a tip-off from civilians," he said.
He stated also that there had been
encounters between security forces and
the insurgents in some parts of the state
apart from the camps destroyed by the
security agencies.
He said, "It is believed that some stranded
terrorists are keen on establishing new
camps. They are being trailed accordingly.
"There were also a few encounters with
some insurgents in forest locations apart
from the identified and destroyed camps."
Olukolade added that a total of 56
insurgents were apprehended with the aid
of specially trained dogs.
He said that seven packs of IEDs, two
Rocket Propelled Gun chargers, a rifle
magazine, two machetes, bomb
detonators, camouflage and other military
uniforms as well as medical equipment,
charms, seven vehicles including a Jeep
and eight tri-cycles were recovered from
the insurgents.