Army: 886 terrorist suspects in custody awaiting prosecution

Christopher Musa, theatre commander of the north-east joint task force, operation Hadin Kai, says 886 terrorist suspects are currently waiting to be transferred for prosecution.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with journalists, Musa, who was represented by Obinna Azuike, acting theatre intelligence coordinator, said 323 of those in detention were transferred to operation Safe Corridor in Gombe on September 8.

He said the transfer is to ensure the implementation of the 2016 deradicalisation, demobilisation and rehabilitation programme of the federal government.

The development comes months after Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), said the federal government would resume the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects in Kainji, New Bussa, Niger state.

The theatre commander also said a total of 82,237 suspected insurgents and their families have surrendered since July 2021.

“[A total of] 886 detainees are awaiting transfer to Giwa project in Kainji for prosecution, while 323 detainees were transferred to operation Safe Corridor in Gombe on 8 September 2022 for the DDR programme,” he said.

“As of date, a total of 82,237 BHT fighters and their families have surrendered since July 2021. Out of the surrendered persons, 16,577 were active male fighters, 24,499 are women, and 41,161 are children.

“Information obtained from detailed debriefings of the surrendered terrorists is being continually factored into the operations of the theatre. Such debriefings are routinely undertaken as more fighters continue to surrender in their numbers.”

While commenting on the 276 students abducted from the Government Girls’ College in Chibok, Borno state, in 2014, he said 11 girls have been rescued in 2022.

He said 57 girls escaped in 2014, while 107 were released in 2018, three in 2019, and two were rescued in 2021.

The theatre commander said a total of 180 girls have been released, adding that the military is working to ensure that the remaining 96 girls are found.

On November 21, a total of 49 terrorist suspects, including two commanders, reportedly surrendered to troops of operation Hadin Kai in Borno.