Boko Haram Militant Abandons Group…Nigerian Military Crushes Boko Haram Fighters…Police Rescue Senior Officer After Highway Abduction…Kaduna Government Assists 59 Former Hostages in Starting Over
- Boko Haram Fighter Gives Up Arms Amid Military Pressure and Internal Conflict
A Boko Haram fighter who operated under notorious commander Ali Ngulde has surrendered to Nigerian troops in Borno State. The insurgent turned himself in around 11:30 a.m. local time on March 1. He handed over an AK-47 rifle and a magazine with seven rounds of ammunition.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama shared the news, stating that the Nigerian military has taken the unnamed defector into custody for profiling. The fighter cited intensified military operations, internal oppression, and a growing food crisis as reasons for his surrender.
He said many insurgents want to surrender but fear execution. “Many of our people want to lay down their arms but they fear that they will be killed by both our leaders and the Nigerian Military,” he noted.
He urged other insurgents in the Mandara Mountains to surrender, saying, “I never thought it would be this easy… I am sure when they see this, they will start running out from the bushes to surrender.”
- Boko Haram Leader Abba Alai Killed as Troops Overrun Terrorist Enclave
Nigerian troops have killed top Boko Haram commander Abba Alai and several insurgents in major offensives in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, near the border with Cameroon.
The military launched an operation in Garin Fallujah and Gwoza, targeting a heavily fortified terrorist enclave. Gwoza, a town near the Mandara Mountains, was once a Boko Haram stronghold.
Overwhelmed by firepower, the insurgents tried to flee but suffered heavy casualties. Alai, a notorious commander behind deadly attacks, was among those killed. Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, a radio set, a heavy machine gun barrel, a motorcycle, and medical supplies.
In another operation in Gwoza, troops blocked terrorists escaping from Sambisa Forest, forcing them into retreat. Seized weapons included ammunition, rifle magazines, and crude firearms. During the operation, troops rescued an elderly woman held hostage for 10 years.
- Kidnapped Nigerian Police Chief Rescued Hours After Abduction
A senior Nigerian police officer, Chief Superintendent Modestus Ojiebe, has been rescued hours after he was abducted on a highway linking Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and northwestern Kaduna State, authorities said.
Ojiebe, who serves with the Kwara State Police Command, was kidnapped Sunday night while trying to fix his broken-down vehicle near a police outpost in Dei-Dei, a suburb of Abuja.
According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, four armed men in a Mercedes-Benz stopped at the scene, robbed Ojiebe and his wife of their phones and ATM cards, then discovered his police ID.
“Upon discovering his police identity card, they forced him into their vehicle and sped off, leaving his wife and their car at the scene,” Zagazola Makama said.
Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh confirmed Ojiebe’s rescue on Monday, stating that swift police intervention led to his safe return the same night. Authorities are still searching for the kidnappers, who abandoned him in the Garaku community of Nasarawa State, and fled into the bush.
- 59 Kidnapped Victims in Nigeria Cleared to Return Home
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani announced Monday that 59 people recently freed from kidnappers have been declared medically and psychologically fit to return to their families.
The victims were rescued through the efforts of the Kaduna State Government, the National Security Adviser’s Office, and security agencies. After their release, they spent 10 days at the Kaduna State Shelter Home, receiving medical care and therapy.
“Emotions were at their peak as I bade farewell to the 59 kidnap victims,” Sani said in a statement shared on his Facebook page.
The Governor assured them of government support, stating, “The State Government will support them with start-up funds and tools that will help them start life afresh.”
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Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
