The Nigerian Military has said it has killed the wife of a major factional leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Mamman Nur.
Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement signed by him on Saturday.
Channels tv reports that the statement was a follow up to a press release issued on Friday in which the military claimed Mr Nur was fatally injured by troops in the artillery and aerial bombardments of Boko Haram enclaves in the Lake Chad region.
Colonel Nwachukwu said the wife of the Boko Haram factional leader was killed alongside several other terrorists while about 250 foot soldiers from the Albarnawy camp have surrendered to Nigerien Authorities.
“Many of the insurgents who fled the onslaught are now taking advantage of the ‘amnesty’ offered by the Nigerien government by surrendering to Nigerien Forces.
“Among the insurgents fleeing from the ongoing offensive are senior and junior commanders in the Albarnawy faction who are now attempting to melt into other communities in and around Kano, Geidam and Gashua axis unnoticed. One of such fleeing commanders is Bana Bafui,” the statement said.
The military further warned members of the public, particularly in Kano, Geidam, Gashua, Hadeja and the northern part of Jigawa to be vigilant and watch out for strange faces suddenly appearing in their communities and promptly report same to security agencies.
According to them, about 700 insurgents have also surrendered to troops in the general area of Monguno following troops’ clearance operations which will be tenaciously sustained.
The military recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria has since provided a window of opportunity through the ‘Operation Safe Corridor’ programme to insurgents who surrender willingly to be de-radicalised and rehabilitated.
So far, about 300 insurgents who willingly surrendered are currently benefiting from this programme.
The military further called on all other terrorists to abandon the futile struggle and take advantage of the programme by surrendering willingly to troops in any location nearest to them.
They also guaranteed the safety and incorporation of repentant insurgents into the programme for de-radicalisation and rehabilitation.
The statement comes barely 48 hours after the troops deployed in Pulka rescued one of the Chibok girls abducted by the terrorist group in April 2014.
A statement issued by the Theatre Command on Thursday had said the young girl identified as Salomi Pagu was the same as the Chibok girl published on serial 86 of the online list of abducted Chibok girls.
She was said to have been intercepted by troops in the company of another young girl, Jamila Adams, about 14 years old with a child.
According to Channels tv, the military had said Pagu and the two others were in the safe custody of the troops.
