Army releases 42 suspected Boko Haram members in Borno

The Nigerian Army on Thursday released 42 persons, who were among several detainees being held for allegedly belonging to the dreaded Boko Haram sect.


The 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri headquarters, in the release, explained that the detainees comprising Nigerians and foreign nationals were arrested at different times and at separate locations over suspicion of having a link with the fundamentalist group.

Handing over the detainees to the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the spokesman for the division, Col. Sani Usman, said they had found out that they did not have any link with the militant sect.

“The Nigerian Army has, for some time now, been fighting terrorism in the country. During this period, some suspected terrorists were arrested and detained. However, after being investigated, 42 which included three foreigners, who were found innocent, are now freed.

“These detainees were released after being cleared of belonging to the Boko Haram terrorists group,” he said.

Usman said extensive investigations were conducted by the relevant security operatives, which exonerated them of having any link either directly or indirectly with the violent group.

He said that the three foreigners included a Burkinabe, a Cameroonian and a Chadian national.

Usman said that the division had provided a token of N100,000 to each of the 39 Nigerians to return to their various homes.

He commended the state government and the residents for their support in the fight against terrorism.

Responding, Shettima thanked the division for the release of the suspects. He promised to assist in repatriating the three foreigners to their countries.

Shettima also gave unspecified cash donations to the suspects. He directed the state Head of Service, Alhaji Bukar Yakubu, to employ some of them as tailors in the state service.

“For those who are tailors by trade, we will employ them to sew school uniforms for our students, as we begin the free uniform scheme session for our students.

“Those who can drive will be employed in the state Road Maintenance Agency as drivers,’’ Shettima said.