The Nigerian Army, on Monday, handed over 386 captives recued from Sambisa Forest 10 years after their abduction by the Boko Haram terrorists, to the Borno State government.
Handing over the rescued victims to the Borno State’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai Joint Task Force North-East, Maj. Gen. Shuaibu Waidi, said what was being witnessed was another significant milestone recorded by the Command.
He said for the past 10 days, troops comprising Army, Air Force, Navy and other security agencies have been in Sambisa Forest in clearance operations, adding that the 386 rescued captives were found in Sambisa Forest.
Represented by the Deputy Theatre Commander, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Chibu, the Theatre Commander, said: “This effort is determination of the professionalism by the Joint Task Force which do not join innocent people in battle. The people you see here were kept in the Forest against their will.
“What you are witnessing here is a joint partnership with the International Committee of Red Cross, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) domiciled in Borno and the state government which was well coordinated.When we recieve people like this, we hand them over to the government for rehabilitation and reintegration.”
He commended Borno State government for the role it has played during the period of the operations that recorded this success.
Receiving the rescued captives, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, who was represented by the Director of Social Welfare, Asabe Mohammed, thanked the Theatre Commander and troops for the rescue of the victims.
One of the rescued victims, Baba Grema, said the terrorists invaded their community, which is near Sambisa Forest and took them to the forest were they spent 12 years.
LEADERSHIP reports that the rescued captives compromised mostly women and children with few men among them.
