The Borno State Government on Thursday said it received 94 persons who escaped from Boko Haram captivity in the fridges of the Lake Chad.
Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Assistant, Media and Strategies to Gov. Babagana Zulum, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri.
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Isa said that the victims, 37 adult males, 17 adult females and 40 children were rescued by the troops of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) during major offensive against the insurgents in the Lake Chad.
He said that the MNJTF Commander, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, handed over the victims to the Borno government.
Isa quoted him as saying that “some of the captives voluntarily surrendered to the Headquarters Sector 1 of the MNJTF in far North Cameroon, while the women and children were rescued.’’
According to Yusuf, while the military welcome non-kinetic approach to the war, it also warned that its operations will continue.
The commander said some of those who surrendered would be investigated to ascertain their relationship with the terrorists.
The Borno Commissioner for Justice, Kakashehu Lawan, received the victims on behalf of the state government.
“The state government is going to profile, debrief, deradicalise and reintegrate the escapees to live a normal life with their families.
“Those profiled as ex-fighters would be sent to Nigerian military’s `operation safe corridor’, while the rescued women will undergo stages of counseling before they are debriefed,” Lawan said. (NAN)
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