Boko Haram scattered around Abuja, Plateau, says escapee

A Boko Haram excapee nabbed by the Military Task Force in Plateau State has confessed that other members of the sect who also escaped from the camp of the terrorists are scattered around Abuja and Plateau State.

The fleeing Boko Haram member identified as Mr. Umar Musa Tello, said he left the camp because of too much hardship being experienced while with the terrorist group.

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Jos, the taskforce Commander, Maj. Gen. Agustin Agundu, while parading other suspects who committed heinous crimes in the State, said the excapee was apprehended by men of his troop also known as Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), while he was loitering around Zawuran village in Bassa Local Government Area of the State.

According to Agundu, “the terrorist confessed to have fled from Damagum village in Yobe State due to the ongoing crackdown by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.

“The suspect revealed that he was a fighter with the Boko Haram terrorist group for upwards of three years but decided to abscond the group due to extreme hardship while at the terrorist camp.

“He claimed that his uncle, one Mr. Ibrahim, invited him to Abuja to commence menial jobs to make ends meet, adding that other fighters have equally absconded and dispersed around Abuja and Plateau State.

“OPSH has been able to gather information from him that will further reveal his level of involvement with the sect”, Agundu said.

However commenting on the renewed year 2020 attacks that hitherto revisited the Mangu and Bokkos LGA of the State, Agundu said the OPSH will remain resolute to the actualization of the Chief of Defence Staff operational mandate even in the face of obvious setbacks.

“The strategic guidance of the Service Chiefs to maintain respective posture has equally gingered troops to aggressively pursue our mandate of protecting lives and properties”, the Army boss said.