Military Moves to Prosecute Surrendered Terrorists – Vows to halt ISWAP recruitment drive

Military authorities, yesterday, said plans were afoot to commence the prosecution of surrendered terrorists in the North-east.

It also vowed to halt the recruitment drive of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in the zone.

The military had recently raised the alarm that the group had embarked on a fresh recruitment drive.

Over 1,200 terrorists recently surrendered to troops with their families amid protests from North-east communities that the claims of repentance might not be genuine and the danger the likely return of the insurgents posed.

Intelligence agencies have also commenced discreet investigation into the claims of the surrendering insurgents to ascertain whether their decision to lay down their arms was not a decoy to activate sleeper cells across the country.

Speaking in Maiduguri, Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen Christopher Musa, said the military was working within the ambit of international laws and maintained that the law would take its cause.

He further noted that the military was doing all within international laws in the handling of Boko Haram and the prosecution of surrendered terrorists against the backdrop of the recent mass surrender of the terrorists.

“We are just doing what we are supposed to do. The laws will naturally take its course, nobody will take them in and tomorrow say ‘go, your sins are forgiven’.

“No. It doesn’t work that way, and that is why we were able to talk to the Governor (Borno) and advise him to call for a stakeholders’ meeting which was held to chart a way forward,” Musa said.

Speaking earlier during a media tour of troops in the frontlines, units and formations in the theatre of Operation Hadin Kai, Sector I and II in the region, Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the objective of the visit was to review the wrong narratives about the surrendered Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

He noted that operations conducted against the terrorists had resulted in depleting its ranks.

“Therefore, it is very important to stop their desperate recruitment bid,” he said.

Nwachukwu said the efforts of the military should be highlighted by the media for Nigerians to appreciate the efforts of the troops particularly, in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North-east.

He said the media tour was aimed at discussing the issues of rehabilitation of surrendered terrorists and plight of the victims of the conflict.

“These fundamental reasons gave birth to the media tour of the North-east. The Boko Haram insurgents have been surrendering. People have questioned the authenticity of the surrendering of these insurgents. People are also questioning why the insurgents are surrendering at this point in time.

“The fight against insurgency has recorded tremendous success considering what it was in the past. At some point, few years back, as far back as 2014, Boko Haram was almost advancing towards Lokoja, they were marching towards Abuja. Today, they have been boxed to the Timbuktu or the hills,” he said.

Kingsley Nwezeh, Thisdaylive