45 Boko Haram members surrender

The military Joint Task Force in Adamawa state said yesterday that no fewer than 45 suspected members of Boko Haram in Mubi town voluntarily handed over their weapons to the men of the JTF in the state.

The surrender, according to sources, might not be unconnected with the house-to-house search embarked upon by the security operatives in the town to flush out members of the Islamic sect following the imposition of a 24-hour curfew by the state government.

Security sources said more improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered by the security operatives in some strategic locations in the town.

Some of the surrendered sect members, according to the source, have made useful statements, leading to the arrest of more suspects.

The source, who did not want his name mentioned because he is not authorised to speak to journalists, told our reporter that suspected members of the sect surrendered due to the overwhelming military strength of the JTF men.

According to military intelligence and the police, more than 100 IEDs were recovered from the suspects following the regular house-to-house search and intelligence gathering.

The source added that some weapons were buried in some farmlands.

When our reporter contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Muhammed Ibrahim, he confirmed that a number of IEDs have been recovered by the JTF, but could neither ascertain the number of IEDs or suspects that have surrendered to the JTF.

He, however, sued for cooperation of Adamawa citizens to give useful information to the JTF, while community leaders should not hesitate to keep watchful eye on new people with questionable characters.

He said from the information gathered, the 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government has been yielding fruitful results as the house-to-house search in Mubi metropolis and its environs.

When our reporter spoke to some residents of Mubi, they said that over 45 members of the group have handed themselves over to the JTF.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday rejected a motion seeking the withdrawal of soldiers of the JTF operating in Maiduguri, Borno state, over allegations of high-handedness.

The motion to that effect was sponsored by Hon. Kyari Gujbawu under matters of urgent national importance.

It was, however, unanimously rejected without debate by the chamber in a voice vote by the members during the session yesterday.

Gujbawu had alleged that the JTF in Maiduguri had been manhandling innocent citizens in the pretext of raiding the followers of Boko Haram.

He told the House that following any skirmish involving the JTF and members of Boko Haram, the JTF was quick in mobilising and deploying their men and weapons against the innocent inhabitants of the communities where the incidents occur and unleash mayhem, including burning of houses and, in some cases, extra-judicial killings of youths.

“Under this unwarranted strategy being deployed by the JTF, three major settlements in Maiduguri, including Shehuri North, Kalari, and the most recent Gwange, were virtually ransacked and hundreds of thousands of inhabitants expelled forcefully from their homes and compelled to become refugees in their own country.

According to him, “JTF is also involved in wanton arrest, disappearance of mostly youth detainees as well as detention under inhuman conditions and torture.”

Gujbawu warned that the negative attendant outcome of the alleged actions of the JTF was capable of derailing the dialogue process being adopted by the federal government as a means of resolving the crisis.

But when the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, put the question as to whether the matter was urgent for debate by the parliament, the lawmakers rejected the motion.

SOURCE; Blue print.