The Nigerian Army, Monday, said eight deadly Boko Haram terrorists had been let loose on Maiduguri, Borno State.
The army in a statement by Media Coordinator Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Tukur Gusau, said one of the nine men was arrested with assault rifles and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and on a mission to unleash death of people of the troubled town.
He added that eight persons were still at large.
The statement read: “Troops of 7 Division Garrison Nigerian Army in Operation Lafiya Dole, yesterday (Sunday) made a remarkable progress by arresting a Boko Haram terrorist kingpin, Mr. John Trankil, at Kasuwar Shanu (Cattle Market) in Maiduguri metropolis.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect said nine of them were sneaked into the Maiduguri armed with AK 47 assault rifle each and a Hilux vehicle laden with 20 Improvised Explosive Devices meant to be detonated at some selected targets in the city. Gusau said: “The Theatre Commander operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Yusha’u Mahmood Abubakar, commended the efforts of the troops and renewed the call on the troops and the public to be more vigilant and security conscious particularly at all check points, markets, worship centres, motor parks and schools.”
Also in the statement, Gusau revealed that “troops of 21 Brigade of the Nigerian army, while on offensive operations on Boko Haram terrorists’ location, with the support from the Air Force, discovered and destroyed the terrorists’ IED and rocket making factory along Bama-Gonin Kurmi on the outskirts of Bama town, Borno State.
He said items recovered included gas cylinders, welding machine, pipes and poles, locally made rocket shells, large quantity of assorted chemicals, unprimed IEDs and various technical and laboratory equipment suspected to be stolen from schools’ laboratories around Bama area before they were dislodged from the area.
