The troops of 81 Battalion and 251 Task Force Battalion deployed at an observation post in the early hours of Wednesday sighted a group of people numbering about 69 approaching their check point in Liwanti Village along Damboa-Bulabulin Road, Borno State.
According to the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, the people were received and treated humanely in accordance with International Humanitarian Laws and Rules of Engagement.
Mr. Usman said that on preliminary investigation, it was discovered that they were indeed members of Boko Haram terrorists' families escaping from Sambisa Forest.
"Seven of them are men, 18 are women, 7 are grown-up boys and 37 are children. At the initial stage of interrogation, they claimed to have escaped from Boko Haram terrorists’ captivity in Ngwalimari Village in the Sambisa Forest general area, but further interrogation revealed otherwise.
"The troops recovered 15 bicycles, five Dane guns and other personal effects from them. Further and thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain other information from them,” Mr. Usman stated.
