Following the failure of Nigerian troops to reclaim territories captured by Boko Haram insurgents, a mobile police unit, known as Operation Guerrilla, has been drafted to lead Nigerian troops to liberate Mubi, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff Alex Bade, from the hands of the insurgents.
LEADERSHIP FRIDAY learnt that the Police Mobile Force (PMF) special anti-terrorist unit, which was deployed to rout the insurgents since Wednesday, had commenced action and had reached Marraba Mubi Junction, about 18 kilometres from Mubi town.
However, the Nigerian troops who are backing the police unit led by a colonel, according to reports, are now at Pella Junction, about 80 kilometres away from Mubi.
Residents of the area have expressed happiness with the development as they said it may lead to the end of their trauma occasioned by the dismal performance of Nigerian Troops who always flee whenever insurgents struck leading to the fall of many towns and villages.
Two residents of Marraba Mubi, Mr Yohanna Gambo and Mallam Sanda Zira, said they saw a detachment of policemen keeping vigil at the junction leading to Mubi and Michika local governments.
“We were surprised to see a handful of mobile policemen because since the fall of Mubi, we never saw a security man,” they said.
Efforts to contact the public relations officer of the Adamawa Police Command, DSP Othman Abubakar, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this reports as calls directed to his mobile phone were unanswered.
But a reliable source at the police command confirmed that the special mobile police unit had been drafted to the area.
Nigeria army releases 42 Boko Haram suspects
Some 42 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect arrested at various periods in the last three years within Borno State were yesterday freed after investigations cleared them of involvement in the activities of the insurgent group.
Among those released were three foreign nationals from Chad, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.
According to the deputy director, defence information, Col Sani Usman, the 42 persons were arrested alongside other members of Boko Haram terrorists during various military raids and were later absolved of all complicity with the terrorists after ‘thorough investigations’.
“Over time, in the course of Nigeria army’s fight against terrorism, some suspected Boko Haram terrorists were arrested and investigated and some of them have been duly cleared of all complicity with the terrorists,” said Col Usman.
16 Civilians, Dozens of Boko Haram Members Killed in Borno Shootout
At least 16 civilians were confirmed dead in Malumfatori town of Borno State yesterday when soldiers and Boko Haram terrorists engaged in fierce battle to keep control of the town which last week fell into the hands of the insurgents, security sources and witnesses said.
According to eyewitnesses, “The fight started around 5pm with the sound of machine guns and the exchange lasted till around 6am today (Wednesday)”.
Modu Bukar, a trader in Malumfatori, told journalists: “Personally, I counted 16 dead bodies of our people but the number of the terrorists killed is countless. Dozens of them were killed by both ground troops and by air raids.”
Boko Haram May Have International Affiliation – Atiku
Former vice president and presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the federal government to seek international intervention to end the Boko Haram insurgency
Abubakar who spoke to journalists, yesterday, urged President Jonathan not to cede any part of Nigeria to Boko Haram insurgents, saying it had never happened in the country’s history.
“The issue is not about insults or attacking people; the issue is that you are the first in the history of Nigeria to lose territories. Nigeria is shrinking; it’s becoming smaller. Go and redeem your record. Are you a competent government? Are you safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country? Boko Haram might have international affiliations; why don’t we allow the world to come and help us?” Abubakar asked.
JTF kills 19 in Yobe
Meanwhile, following the Potiskum Bomb Blast attack that killed 30 people mostly women and children during the annual Ashura of the Islamic Movement, the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe state have killed 19 people who they suspected to be Boko Haram sect members in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state.
A source from the residents of Damboa ward, Layin Masco in Potiskum, confirm to Friday Leadership that the troops of the Joint Special Operation with the Department of State Security Service (DSSS) had cordoned the area and searched houses from where about 30 suspects were whisked off.
However, even though some of the arrested suspects were released, Malam Bukar Abubakar, a resident said that the military just killed innocent people without making a proper investigation. According to him “this is a very sad story, let me tell you the truth, the Nigerian military are just killing people anyhow, these people are not Boko Haram, we have been living with them for years without any problem”.
When contacted, the Yobe state Police Commissioner, Marcus Danladi said that he would not say anything but only confirm the incident. Pressed further, he said, “I am in an emergency meeting but I will get back to you when I am through”.
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