The Nigerian Army yesterday presented 17 Boko Haram terrorists out of the over 100 who recently surrendered to troops at the various surrender camps opened by Operation Lafiya Dole for willing terrorists to surrender.
Presenting the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists to newsmen yesterday at the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, the Theatre Commander, Major General Rogers Nicholas said while the 17 of the Boko Haram terrorists who have willingly surrendered to troops are in the Theatre, the remaining repentant terrorists numbering over 100 are on their way to Maiduguri to be received by the command.
Maj Gen Nicholas added that while over 70 of the terrorists will be coming from Monguno surrender camp where they surrendered to troops, another 40 of them would be coming from Bama from another surrender camp.
He noted that the surrender camps recently opened by the military in different areas of the theater have begun to yield fruit as more terrorists are expected to surrender in the days to come.
He appealed to the rest of them still in the bushes to surrender for peace to reign, adding that the testimonies of those who have surrendered will go a long way to assure them that the military is not in Borno to kill them, but to protect them, since they are all Nigerians.
“In continuation of our media relationship, today we are presenting to you fresh surrendered Boko Haram terrorists. We are not here to kill anybody, but following international best practices in situation of this nature.
“I am also using this opportunity to appeal to those of them still fighting to lay down their arms and surrender. We will give them adequate protection and equally take them to the deradicalization centres where they will be transformed and be empowered to start a new life,” said Gen Nicholas.
