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Over 8,000 Boko Haram terrorists have so far surrendered to troops, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, Brigadier General Abdulwahab Eyitayo, has said.
He stated this during a visit by a team led by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, in Maiduguri.
According to him, the terrorists surrendered from their enclaves in Sambisa Forest, as well as other hideouts.
“One of the reasons they are surrendering in droves is the overwhelming fire power from the troops.
”It is because every man’s endeavour is motivated by his family’s wellbeing, that is why they are coming out with their families. We started seeing the signs from June.
“Our intensified operations had blocked their logistics’ routes and supplies, bombardments all over, that is why they started surrendering and diseases have overpowered many of them.
“It was better because in the end, the troops will clear all of them and their sympathisers combined.”
The GOC warned that a time would come that the window of surrender would no longer be available, urging the sympathisers of the terrorists to encourage them to come out.
He added that whoever supported the enemies of the State would also be treated as an enemy by State forces, adding that the military was more determined than ever to deal decisively with the terrorists and their supporters.
On the handling of the surrendered terrorists, Mr Eyitayo disclosed that the Nigerian Army was responsible for receiving, profiling or screening of the terrorists.
The GOC stated that afterwards, they would be handed over to the Borno overnment for further action.
He explained that a sizeable number of the surrendered, comprised wives and children of the terrorists, as well as those that were forcefully recruited into their folds.
