Army: 1,009 Suspects Handed Over To Borno Not Ex-Boko Haram Fighters

The Nigerian Army on Thursday debunked the reports of the
release of captured Boko Haram fighters in Borno.

A statement signed by Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public
Relations, said the reports were false and a malicious attempt to
dampen troops’ morale and denigrate the Nigerian Army.

He said the Army does not intend to join issues with the
masterminds of the false narrative but will make efforts to set the
records straight.

“The Nigerian Army (NA) has been notified of a media publication
alleging that the NA has handed over 1009 Ex-Boko Haram fighters to
Borno State government.

“The report also alleged that the event was shrouded in secrecy.
This report is obviously one of those attempts to dampen troops’
morale and denigrate the NA, riding on the back of unsubstantiated
report and misinformation.”

“It is an indisputable fact that the ongoing Counter Terrorism
Counter Insurgency Operations (CTCOIN) in the North East has led to
the arrest of terrorism/insurgency suspects.”

“These suspects have been held in custody while undergoing
profiling and further investigations by experts from the Joint
Investigation Centre (JIC) and those who are found culpable are
usually handed over to prosecuting agencies accordingly, while
those who are not implicated in terrorism and insurgency are
cleared and released to the state government for rehabilitation
before they are reintegrated into the society.

“These cleared suspects are therefore not ex Boko Haram
fighters, as peddled in the said online report and as the
masterminds would want to impress on the public.

“A total of 1009 cleared suspects, not ex-fighters, were
therefore released after this rigorous process on Wednesday 14 July
2021.

“It is also necessary to categorically state that the handing
over of the cleared suspects was not shrouded in secrecy as it was
witnessed by United Nations Humanitarian and government agencies,
in tandem with global best practice.

“The NA, therefore, urges the general public to discountenance
this misinformation, as it is evidently a manipulation and
distortion of the truth and reality of the event.” The statement
further said.

The Nigerian Army on Thursday debunked the reports of the
release of captured Boko Haram fighters in Borno.

A statement signed by Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public
Relations, said the reports were false and a malicious attempt to
dampen troops’ morale and denigrate the Nigerian Army.

He said the Army does not intend to join issues with the
masterminds of the false narrative but will make efforts to set the
records straight.

“The Nigerian Army (NA) has been notified of a media publication
alleging that the NA has handed over 1009 Ex-Boko Haram fighters to
Borno State government.

“The report also alleged that the event was shrouded in secrecy.
This report is obviously one of those attempts to dampen troops’
morale and denigrate the NA, riding on the back of unsubstantiated
report and misinformation.”

“It is an indisputable fact that the ongoing Counter Terrorism
Counter Insurgency Operations (CTCOIN) in the North East has led to
the arrest of terrorism/insurgency suspects.”

“These suspects have been held in custody while undergoing
profiling and further investigations by experts from the Joint
Investigation Centre (JIC) and those who are found culpable are
usually handed over to prosecuting agencies accordingly, while
those who are not implicated in terrorism and insurgency are
cleared and released to the state government for rehabilitation
before they are reintegrated into the society.

“These cleared suspects are therefore not ex Boko Haram
fighters, as peddled in the said online report and as the
masterminds would want to impress on the public.

“A total of 1009 cleared suspects, not ex-fighters, were
therefore released after this rigorous process on Wednesday 14 July
2021.

“It is also necessary to categorically state that the handing
over of the cleared suspects was not shrouded in secrecy as it was
witnessed by United Nations Humanitarian and government agencies,
in tandem with global best practice.

“The NA, therefore, urges the general public to discountenance
this misinformation, as it is evidently a manipulation and
distortion of the truth and reality of the event.” The statement
further said.