The police in Kano State has announced the arrest of a dismissed military officer who had been training Boko Haram insurgents after a gun battle in Kano.
Kano State Police Commissioner, Rabiu Yusuf, told newsmen that the arrest followed by intelligence reports which his officers have been gathering about the movement of the Boko Haram members from Sambisa forest in Borno State.
He recalled that the exchange of fire occurred at about 2 am today, Sunday, at Gaya in Ungogo Local Government Area, adding that the dismissed army officer and other members of Boko Haram were among those who escaped from Sambisa forest in Borno from the military dislodged the sect.
He said that the dismissed military officer, who later escaped, had threw an improvised explosive device at the police and started to shoot before the police fought back.
“The police came under attack by the terrorists group at their location but were overpowered by the tactical task force. Three police officers sustained injuries and three of the Boko Haram gunned down.
” One of the three police officers injured during the battle has been discharged from the hospital after treatment.
“ A arrested suspects are 20 years old Abba Muhammad of Niger Republic, 22 years old Usman Buhari from Bornoand 46 years old Illiyasu Abdullahi from Kano .
” The two arrested women are Gezawa Yau and Ladidi Yunusa .”
Items recovered included an AK47 rifle, 49 rounds of ammunition, IEDs, two sets of Air Force uniforms, one military boot, one laptop, one iPad, and some pictures of the suspects wearing military uniform.
Meanwhile, 43 Boko Haram insurgents who recently surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole were today, Saturday, air lifted to join other surrendered insurgents in Gombe where they are to immediately commence a de-radicalization and rehabilitation programme under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor.
Speaking while handing over the surrendered insurgents to Operation Safe Corridor, the Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru gave assurance that the penitent insurgents will be given a new lease of life as they commence their journey back into the civil society through the de-radicalization and rehabilitation processes.
He advised them to embrace and undertake the programme whole heartedly to enable them benefit and positively reorient their views about life and the society in general.
It will be recalled that over 70 Boko Haram insurgents had earlier this month, surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East, thus, taking advantage of the window of grace provided by the Federal Government for insurgents who are willing to give up terrorism and turn a new leaf to surrender to any military location closest to them.
General Attahiru called on all other insurgents to abandon the futile struggle and reject the hypocrisy of the Boko Haram leadership who live in affluence, while their foot soldiers die in hunger.
[myad]
