The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, has said that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have in the past few days neutralised no fewer than eight female suicide bombers.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Army spokesman also disclosed that troops of 233 Battalion, 27 Task Force Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole in conjunction with vigilantes on routine patrol arrested four fleeing Boko Haram terrorists at Kurnari village and Nayinawa, outskirts of Damaturu, Yobe State on Monday.

The Army identified the bandits as Bukar Waziri, aged 25 years, and Mammade Lawan, aged 20 years, both from Buk; while father and son, Muhammadu Damina, aged 40 years, and Isah Muhammadu aged 15 years, hail from Talala.

“During preliminary investigation,” the Army said, “they claimed that they were fleeing from the terrorists’ hideout at Talala and Buk in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State because of the unbearable military onslaughts and bombardments on their various locations.”

The spokesman also disclosed that troops of 33 Brigade Nigerian Army, on Operation Forest Kunama II, on Sunday, “following a tip off, at about 10.20pm, arrested one Salisu Ibrahim, an armed robbery suspect along Bauchi-Gombe Road."

According to him, the terrorists and armed robbery suspects were being further investigated.

He further disclosed that “the Nigerian troops floodgates of interceptions of suicide bombers are glaring as a female suicide bomber was neutralised by troops of 251 Battalion of 7 Division Garrison of Operation Lafiya Dole on Sunday, July 23, 2017 by 8:15 pm while trying to infiltrate through the fence of Dalori Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp 2 within Maiduguri Metropolis in Borno State.

“The female suicide bomber who was sighted by vigilant sentries refused several warnings to halt when challenged. Subsequently, she was neutralised resulting in the detonation of her suicide vest killing herself only, without any other casualty on the side of troops or civilians. Unfortunately, the blast from the detonation of the female suicide bombers vest cratered a hole on the fence of Dalori IDP Camp 2. But troops are maintaining strict vigilance on it to forestall any breach of security. Borno State Emergence Management Agency have since evacuated the mutilated remains of the female suicide bomber and disinfected the area.

“It will be recalled that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have foiled several suicide bombing attempts by the Boko Haram terrorists. Two female suicide bombers trying to infiltrate military locations at Mammanti village on July 16, 2017 at about 10:15pm were neutralised, while one female suicide bomber who was attempting to infiltrate a location between Cimari and No Man’s Land was promptly neutralised in the early hours of July 17, 2017 at about 2am.

“Again, vigilant troops neutralised a suspected suicide bomber on July 18, 2017 at about 10pm, who was attempting to infiltrate a location at Dala village along Maiduguri–Damboa Road. On Saturday July 22, 2017, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole neutralised three female suicide bombers in Kawuri area in Konduga Local Government of Borno State.

“The successes so far recorded have been possible with the active collaboration of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, the Civilian Joint Task Force, vigilantes and other security agencies. The security forces have reinforced security as well as stepped-up aggressive patrols within and outside Maiduguri metropolis while also reinforcing security at the University of Maiduguri.

“Remarkable and commendable has been the increasing information and tip-off volunteered by well-meaning members of the communities that are helping in the capture of these suicide bombers recently. Apparently, Boko Haram terrorists have been greatly decimated hence their desperation and resort to the use of innocent young female suicide bombers in perpetrating their inhuman and criminal acts.

“Their ploy is an orchestrated propaganda towards creating panic and fear in the minds of innocent citizens. And to lay hold to the claim that they are still a potent force to reckon with as they bask in the euphoria of getting cheap popularity at the expense of people’s lives. The antics of the remnants Boko Haram terrorists are now common knowledge to the Nigerian public who have resolved to end the menace.”

Update news