By SUMAILA OGBAJE

In the unrelenting effort by troops to clear remnants of Boko Haram terrorists (BHT) enclaves in Borno and contiguous states, troops of 144 Battalion have successfully rescued 25 hostages held captive by the terrorists.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Monday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the gallant troops, in conjunction with Hybrid Force, extricated 14 hostages comprising six women and eight children in a clearance operation at Gobara village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno on Saturday.

He said the troops of 82 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with Hybrid Force, raided BHT enclave in Gava Village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno and rescued 11 civilians in a similar operation on Sunday.

According to him, all the rescued victims are presently in troops’ custody undergoing profiling.

The Army spokesman said that seven members of Boko Haram family surrendered to troops of 81 Division Task Force Battalion at Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno, in a separate operation on Sunday.

“In an anti-banditry operation on Sunday in Kaduna State, troops of 2 Battalion, Nigerian Army, acting on actionable information neutralised one criminal and freed four kidnap victims in Kwana Shehu Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

“The rescued victims had since been reunited with their families.

“Members of the public are please enjoined to support the troops with credible information to enhance ongoing operations across the country,” he said. (NAN)