The Special Forces in Borno State on Monday said about 120 terrorists have been arrested in Maiduguri, the state capital, as they organised a burial ceremony for one of their commanders who died in an encounter with soldiers.
Defence spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, in a press statement disclosed that the arrested insurgents were in the custody of the Joint Task Force (JTF) where they were being interrogated.
He said the Special Forces had now secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo, all in Borno state, after destroying all the terrorists’ camps sited in these localities.
The statement said that the troops were already interacting with locals and citizens assuring them of their safety and freedom from the activities of insurgents.
Brigadier General Olukolade said terrorists fleeing towards Chad and Niger Republic are being contained by the Multi-National Joint Task Force in various locations at the border.
He said during the raid on terrorist camps, the troops observed a few shallow graves believed to be those of hurriedly buried members.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said it had observed the use of photographs purportedly taken in the areas raided by the Special Forces and wished to state that the photographs were questionable as they did not reflect any related reality of the social or geographical environment.
He said the story and pictures depicting Nigerians fleeing to Niger Republic and other countries were doubtful.
More than 2,000 Nigerians living in border villages in Borno State were reported to have fled as a result of the ongoing military operations targeted at routing the insurgents from the area.
The fleeing villagers were said to have headed to the neighbouring Niger Republic.
“Most of the residents of border villages of Borno have fled to Niger. About 2,000 people from Abadan, Malam Fatori and other villages are now refugees in Difa, Niger Republic,” a top security officer told a national dailies.
The source said that the Joint Military Task Force was on the trail of the members of the Boko Haram sect, who were dislodged from the Sambisa Game Reserve and other camps on Thursday in Borno State.
It was learnt that residents of Maiduguri and other communities far from the border, who did not want to be caught in the cross-fire have also fled to some neighbouring states, including Kano and Bauchi.
Curfew relaxed
Following relative peace witnessed in some parts of Borno and Yobe states, the JTF has relaxed the curfew in order to ease the hardship being faced by the people, especially the poor masses.
A press statement signed by the JTF Spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa and issued to newsmen in Maiduguri said: “The 24-hour curfew earlier imposed in Gamboru-Customs Area, Mari Kuwait Area of University of Maiduguri, Bakin Kogi Area, Kasuwan Shanu-Kofar Biyu Area have been relaxed from 6am to 7pm”.
Other areas/wards where the 24hours curfew have been relaxed include Ruwan Zafi-Customs Area, 202 Housing Estate, Bama Road, 303 Housing Estate Bama Road, Dikwa Low-cost Housing Estate.
Also affected are Simari-Zannari-Kwanan Yobe Area, 505 Abba Gana Terab Housing Estate, Muna Garage Road, Chad Basin Muna Garage Road, Baga Road Federal Lowcost Area, Bolori, Jajeri and Umamari Area.
In a related development, the Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Press Affairs and Information, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego said: “In view of the relative peace in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital and its environs, the curfew has now been relaxed from 6am to 6pm.”
The statement said, “In view of the need to sustain the relative peace that all parts of the state currently enjoy, His Excellency the Executive Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has approved an adjustment of the hours during which public movement is restricted around the state”.
Consequently the statement added that, restriction on movement now starts from 6.00PM to 6.00AM daily throughout the state with effect from today Monday 20th May 2013.
The decision for this adjustment according to Bego follows a meeting that His Excellency the governor had with heads of law enforcement agencies in the state.
Gaidam therefore urged the public to continue with the exemplary support and cooperation with security agents to ensure lasting peace, even as he enjoined the public not to relent in prayers for the restoration of peace in the state and the country in general.
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