Apr. 23, 2014
Officials from Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters claimed on Wednesday that a group of terrorists, operating under the guise of herdsmen from a camp on the
outskirts of Wukari, have been arrested, and later confessed, to being part of the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
The confessions came about in the aftermath of a firefight between insurgents and Defense Headquarter troops. An unreported number of Defense Headquarter troops, and insurgents, died following an attack on a military check point at Gindin Dorowa, a suburb of Wukari located in the Taraba State.
Officials from Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters claimed that other members of the group were spotted by air surveillance, and later were trailed to their camp where they engaged the troops in a prolonged fire-fight.
The terrorists, according to Major General Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defense Headquarters, were clad in the usual pattern of dress their counterparts wear operating in Borno, and Yobe states. That pattern of dress has become more pronounced in recent weeks, which include green colored army-like garments that are indistinguishable with much of the unsuspecting general public.
He claimed that one of the apprehended armed men confessed that he
had been fighting for the terrorist group, Boko Haram, in Borno State, and was recently brought to the Wukari area to take part in another of their missions.
Maj. General Chris Olukolade said that assorted arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
The Major General added that the curfew imposed on Wukari and environs, is
expected to be relaxed in the coming days as an air of normalcy returns to the town.
Troops have maintained patrols of the area while a house-to-house
search for arms, other suspected insurgents, even hostages, continues throughout the region.
In another development, troops on patrol of the Lake Chad Islands have
made some arrests. SaharaReporters has learned that among those arrested was a boat operator, who reportedly ferries terrorists across Lake Chad, while another man confessed to being a supplier of hard drugs to the terrorist groups in the area.
At press time, the search for the still missing abducted students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, in Chibok, is also being intensified.
