Nigerian Army interrogates 1,400 Boko Haram fighters in detention

Latest release from the Nigerian Army confirms that about 1,400 suspected Boko Haram members seized by the military are under investigation in its custody.Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the departing Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, made this statement on Tuesday at a transfer ceremony at the army command headquarters in Maiduguri.Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru relieved Irabor who recently got a transfer as a substantive Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).Irabor said a large number of the terrorists were accosted while others voluntarily surrendered to the Nigerian troops named Operation Lafiya Dole.“Investigation is still ongoing and I can assure you that many of the terrorists have owned up that “they actually took part in the activities of Boko Haram.“They are still undergoing process of de-radicalisation as part of the efforts to fully reintegrate them into becoming meaningful citizens.“On how many we have taken to court, I can only tell you that we are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to commence that process.Irabor stated that the Nigerian army had made notable success in the anti-terror war against Boko Haram in the past one year and is still on target to end the operation.“In the past, a lot of operations were conducted and we had related some of them to you. We had strived in ensuring that peace returned to the North-East.“I urge the new theatre commander that it should be sustained.“Boko Haram has done no good to anyone. Your life, my life and that of average Nigerian’s, officers and soldiers must not be at stake.“So, we as responsible citizens have a role to play in bringing new ideas and innovations to deal with the new tactics of Boko Haram.” He said.Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru encouraged the Nigeria media to endeavor to cooperate with the military so it can win the war against Boko Haram.Attahiru maintained that it needed a multidimensional approach to winning the war against insurgency and that the command would continue chart due collaboration with relevant stakeholders and the civil society to achieve it.“The command would also open Human Right Desk at the Division where cases of erring officers and soldiers are reported and treated”, he stated.