‘My hand, leg chopped off because I wanted to surrender’

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

The Nigerian Army, yesterday, said it has arrested five persons believed to be high-ranking Boko Haram members.

Also arrested were three Chadians, suspected to be Boko Haram members. They were arrested at a checkpoint in Damasak, in Borno.

“On January 26, at about 17:45 hours, three Chadians were arrested at a check point in Damasak, after a mobile phone belonging to one of them was flipped through and it showed pictures of men in both military T-shirt and mufti with GPMG, FN and AK 47 rifles.

“The Chadians are in custody undergoing interrogation,” said Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor.

He also told newsmen in Maiduguri, yesterday, that the arrest was made in collaboration with vigilantes called “Civilian JTF.”

Irabor gave the names of the five top suspects as Alhaji Madu, 56, Abur Goni-Bukar, Ibrahim Ali, Ayuba Duse and Haruna Bukar.

“The suspects were arrested after numerous operations in different parts of the North-East; we are investigating before taking a decision,” he said.

Irabor said the army also intercepted seven females from Niger Republic, last month.

“On January 16, at about 1715hours, troops deployed at Cham checkpoint intercepted seven female immigrants from the Republic of Niger, enroute Yola via Kano.

“Three of them were with their passports while four had no means of identification,” Irabor said.

He said the immigrants are in custody, undergoing interrogation and would be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for further action.

Meanwhile, a 31 year-old Boko Haram insurgent, Muhammad Abubakar, yesterday, said his hand and leg were chopped off because he planned to surrender and quit the battle in Sambisa forest.

Abubakar disclosed this to newsmen in Maiduguri during briefing organised by Irabor.

“I had told a friend, Hassan Dan-Guduma, that I was going to surrender as the movement had no meaning to me anymore.

“Hassan Dan-Guduma, initially, bought my idea, but, later betrayed me. Shortly after our discussion, he went and came back with three others whom I am sure he must have told about our plan to surrender.

“They said I was planing to exposed them to the Nigerian government, so, they did this to me.

“After they had chopped off my right hand and left leg, they threw me into a culvert, where I was left struggling, until soldiers came and rescued me.

“All I can say is that all we had been told by Boko Haram leaders were lies and misleading. I never joined them to kill anyone,” he said.

Irabor said Abubakar is still undergoing interrogation.

“You can see what they did to one of their own because he decided to quit,” said Irabor.