‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Fighter Involved In Fatal Bomb Attacks On Troops Arrested

 ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Fighter Involved In Fatal Bomb Attacks On Troops Arrested  Troops of Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army have r...

 ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Fighter Involved In Fatal Bomb Attacks On Troops Arrested 

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army have reportedly arrested a “repentant Boko Haram fighter”, Ba’ana Bdiya, over a bomb attack on Nigerian soldiers that led to the deaths of at least three soldiers.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency report focused on the Lake Chad region, Ba’ana Bdiya, who is also known as ‘Manci’, gave out details on the movement of the troops to terrorists on March 16, 2023, when the ambush attack occurred.

The publication reported that the intelligence shared by Manci led to the ambush of soldiers who were attacked with an improvised explosive device (IED) on the outskirt of Banki town, Borno State during which no fewer than three soldiers were reported dead while four others were injured.

The publication was quoted as stating that “Ba’ana was among the thousands of Boko Haram who laid down their arms and were accepted back by the society after undergoing rehabilitation. But despite renouncing his membership of the terror group, he maintained close contact with his former colleagues.” 

It was further reported that sources in the military told Zagazola Makama that Manci had earlier in February passed a similar intelligence to the Boko Haram fighters who successfully ambushed troops during fighting patrols at Ngauri.

The intelligence was said to have led to the killing of some soldiers.

The military sources were quoted as saying that “This is less than one week after two other ex-militant, Goni Farouq and Amir Zabu, (The executioner) who were top former Commanders of Boko Haram, were intercepted in a phone conversation, planning attacks against troops.

“The real obstacle standing between the troops and the total and final obliteration of Boko Hama terrorists is the nefarious activities of the local network of informants.

“There are concerns that the continued release of repentant terrorists into society without proper deradicalisation could subvert the progress made so far in the war against insurgency.”

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