By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) Joint Taskforce North East On Thursday announce the rescue of 277 Women and Children following intense raid of Boko Haram terrorists enclave in Borno Councils.
The Army says the rescue was made possible following ongoing Operation Desert Sanity III and Operation Lake Sanity II where troops took the battle to the camp of the terrorists.
The Deputy Theatre Commander of OPHK Maj. Gen Ken Chigbu who represented the Theatre Commander, Maj. Gen. Wahidi Shuaibu at a brief ceremony to handover the rescued persons to the state government at the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri the state capital gave a breakdown of 128 women and 149 children rescued.
According to him , the women and children were rescued in Bama, Dikwa and Monguno Local Gaovernment Councils of the state, pointing out all the rescued persons were victims of the notorious Boko Haram terrorists .
” These are people we found out that they were abducted against their will. For us, we considered them as brothers and sisters. And when we saw them in deplorable condition.
“We thank all stakeholders who have ensured that our brothers and sisters are brought out from the bush. The mandate of the “Operation Hadin Kai ” Joint Taskforce North-East is to restore normalcy and socio-economic activities in the region. We have adopted kinetic and non kinetic approach to the operations, and what we are witnessing is the larger part of non kinetic approach. ” Maj. Gen. Chigbu said .
15 year old Fatima Bulama who is amongst the rescued persons feom Mafa and already has a daughter for a suspected Boko Haram terrorists commended troops of Operation Hadin Kai for coming to her rescue.
” I took my baby and ran away from the Boko Haram camp due to severe hunger, not even my husband who is a Boko Haram member as a farmer couldn’t provide food for me . I am very happy the Army came to my rescue.
Another rescue person from Bama, 20 year old Maryam Musa said her suspected Boko Haram terrorists husband ” fled and and left when the Army raided their camp . But I’m very happy now because I was rescued by the Army.”
The Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Gambo represented by a director in the ministry, Aisha Shettima, who received the rescued persons on behalf of the state government appreciated the effort of the Nigerian military in rescuing the victims.
Shettima said the rescued persons will be taken to the state’s rehabilitation centre in Bulunkutu where they will be given psychosocial support and other relevant activities before they would be reintegrated into the society.