The North-East Rebuild Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has hailed the ongoing De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme for surrendered and repentant terrorists in the North East.
The President of the group, Mr Gambo Katagum, in a statement on Wednesday, attributed the mass surrender of insurgents to application of both kinetic and non-kinetic measures by the military.
Katagum said the war against insurgents had become less noisy with more positive results since the assumption of office by Gen. Lucky Irabor as the Chief of Defence Staff.
He said the surrendering of no fewer than 51,828 terrorists and their family members to troops between July 2021 and May 2022 was a testimony of the good work being done to restore peace and stability in the country.
Katagum expressed optimism that the remaining insurgents would have no option than to surrender with the intense onslaughts on them by troops of the Armed forces of Nigeria.
“Just recently, troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed unconfirmed numbers of Boko Haram fighters as it raided six camps of the terrorist group successfully in Bula Agaida, Bula Yaga, Bula Lambai, Kuluri, Bula Umar and New Churchur in Borno.
“Similarly, troops in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) stormed the hideout of ISWAP in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno, killing 41 terrorists including a Commander, Abu Zahra while others fled for their lives.
“In same period, Troops of 222 Battalion, killed several members of ISWAP terrorist group in Konduga area of Borno.
“And just this Monday, troops successfully repelled ISWAP attack on a military formation in the volatile northeast of Kunnari near Buratai town in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.
“The troops overwhelmed the terrorists in a gun battle and eliminated eight of them while others fled the scene,” he said.
Katagum called on remaining insurgents to lay down arms, adding that the military, from all indications would not allow them disturb the peace of the region any further. (NAN)
