Maiduguri — The
Nigerian military yesterday broke its silence on the number of
casualties from the Rann accidental air bombing by the air force,
stating that 112 persons died in the incident while 97 others were
injured.
The military equally revealed that 26 foreigners were caught who had links with Boko Haram in the last one month.
Addressing a press
conference in Maiduguri, the head of the counter-insurgency operations
in the North-east (Operation Lafiya Dole), Major General Lucky Irabor,
said of the foreigners caught, 17 were Chadians and nine Nigeriens.
Added to the 26
foreigners arrested during operations, was a Malian simply identified as
Ayuba, arrested in Dikwa who claimed he only speaks French, Irabor
said.
Another major
arrest made in Shehuri area of Maiduguri, according to Irabor, was a
suspected Boko Haram member who specialises in sneaking suicide bombers
into Maiduguri.
Irabor disclosed that seven cattle rustlers were arrested in Monguno, and 34 cows were recovered from them.
He said 3,332
suspected Boko Haram members who were arrested in January during
operations against the insurgents are currently being screened to
ascertain if they are indeed members of the group.
He equally revealed that five Boko Haram members willingly surrendered to the group.
Among the five is
one 31-year-old Mohammed Abubakar, who has had his leg and arm amputated
by the insurgents for trying to desert.
Abubakar in a brief
interview with journalists, revealed how his right arm and left limb
got amputated: "I told my friend Hassan Danguduma we have to flee and
surrender because our activities are unIslamic, he pretended as if he
supported the idea, but leaked the secret to our leader. So they
amputated my left leg and right hand from the wrist. But I managed to
escape."
He added: "I have
been in the group for two years, they abducted me from Wulgo Hausari
village, Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area. For fear of being killed, I
joined the group. I'm loyal to the Mamman Nur-led faction."
On the Rann
misfire, Irabor said after the sad incident of Rann air strike accident,
coordinated emergency response was established for rescue and treatment
of victims, surgical centre was equally set up.
He equally revealed
that a board of inquiry was established by the Theatre Command to
investigate the incident which proved it was a mistake and that 112
persons died and 97 others were wounded in the incident.
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