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Nigerian Military Unveils New List ’55 Most Wanted Boko Haram’ Terrorists

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General Gabriel Olonishakin, Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, has released a banner containing photographs and names of 55 Boko Haram wanted for various attacks and terror activities in the North East where the military currently prosecute war against the insurgents.

In 2015, the Nigerian Army declared 202 insurgents wanted in two batches. This new list brings to total “most wanted” terrorist list to to 257.

Olonisakin pointed out that counterinsurgency was a field operation, which required adequate awareness by the stakeholders.

“I urged all to facilitate in tracking them down for the good and development of the country,” the defence chief said while releasing the banner at a brief event at the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maimalari Cantonment of the Nigerian Army Maiduguri on Monday, November 21, 2016.

“With this launch of additional photographs of wanted Boko Haram terrorists, it is hoped that the public and other peace loving citizen will provide useful information that will aid in ridding the society of these terrorists and criminal elements,’’ he said.

The military boss also urged Boko Haram who wish to surrender their arms and embrace peace to do so in time so as to benefit from the military Operation Save Corridors programme for repentant Boko Haram insurgents.

Earlier, Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, noted that many of the 202 terrorists earlier declared wanted had either been killed or arrested during operations.

“We have earlier in the course of our campaigns against the insurgents from late 2015 published two editions, comprising 202 individuals that have been identified, key members of the Boko Haram insurgents.

“In the course our counter insurgency operations, quite a significant number of these wanted terrorists have either been killed or arrested.

“Those arrested have been providing useful information that has assisted the Nigerian army undertake successful operations,’’

Buratai called on Nigerians and the media with useful information about the suspects to provide it, saying that such information would be treated with “utmost confidentiality’’.

“No item of information is too little or should be ignored,’’ he said.

He stated that the Nigerian Army had achieved significant progress in the fight against the terrorists by degrading their combat power as well as decimating their ranks.

The army chief restated that 60 per cent of the remnants of the terrorists were not Nigerians and appealed to the citizens to contribute to the efforts to flush them out of the country.“It is very clear that the Boko Haram terrorists have been defeated.

“To continue to have any doubt in this regard or to continue to re-echo or insinuate that these terrorists have not been defeated is only a way of encouraging these terrorists,’’

Buratai assured the people of Kaito, Damasak, Gashiga and indeed Mallam Fatori in northern Borno that the roads leading to their communities would soon be re-opened to enable them to return before the end of 2016.

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