By Godfrey Olukya 16-1-2017
At least 257 suspected Boko Haram members who were being held in detention have been released by Nigerian Army.
They have been handed over to Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa.
”They were released on Sunday and handed over to Alhaji Usman Durkwa, the Borno state deputy governor.” said senior police officer John Ekweme.
He added on that among those released were women and children.He said that the releasing of the suspects was part of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration held at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri.
Madiguri has witnessed a number of suicide bombers’ incidents in which attacks were made in markets and public places leading to hundreds of deaths
While handing over suspects, the head of the military’s counter-insurgency operation in the North East major general Lucky Irabor, said that they had done thorough investigations on all the 257 suspects and observed that they are not members of Boko Haram.
He said, ”We have carried out investigations. After screening them, we found them clean. However we will ensure that they are monitored. The Army Day celebration has afforded us opportunity to free them to mark the occasion.”
On his part, the governor Kashim Shettima, Borno government in his speech paid tribute to the fallen government soldiers who he said paid the ultimate price for the unity of the nation. ”They are great. We must be committed to ensure that the labours of our heroes past are not in vain. I commend the Nigerian Military and other security agencies for restoration of Peace to Borno and the North East,” he said.
Boko Haram Muslim fundamentalists have been a thorn in Nigeria’s government for over a decade killing innocent people and abducting female students whom they later recruit into their forces.
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