The army also announced today that it has co-opted more Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members into its operation. The Nigerian Army has declared 81 terrorists of Boko Haram and ISWAP wanted. At the top of the pictorial list are Abubakar Shekau and Abu Al-Barnawi.
The
suggestion was made to the army over six years ago, by former French President,
François Hollande.
A banner
showing photographs of the wanted terrorists was unveiled by Governor Babagana
Zulum of Borno and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
The ceremony
was held on Wednesday at the CJTF Super Camp Chabal, near Maiduguri.
The army did
not indicate whether it will reward informants. But the United States since
2012 placed a bounty of $7million on Shekau.
Apart from
Shekau and Barnawi, other terrorists listed in the army poster are Ibrahim
Maryam and Abu Sulum.
Some of the
wanted terrorists on the current list had been on the watch list since 2016,
while others were declared wanted for the first time.
The Chief of Army Staff, Buratai said the
that some of the terrorists that had been declared wanted since 2016 have
either been arrested or killed in various operations while some are still on
the run.
He called on
members of the public as well as the CJTF to support the army in fishing out
remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists that were still hiding and operating
within their localities.
Buratai also
urged the troops to continue to deal decisively with the terrorists that were
hiding in the forests.
According to
him, the state government’s CJTF is partnering with the Nigerian army to ensure
the final onslaught on the Boko Haram terrorists.
The Chief of
Army Staff said that the history of CJTF dated back to the 18th century in
Europe during wars where it was discovered that the volunteers were very key to
the various wars that they had fought.
He said that
the CJTF had been a major factor in the counter insurgency operation in the
North East, adding that they were instrumental to chasing of terrorists from
towns into the forest and bushes.
According to
him, their knowledge of the terrain and that of the individual Boko Haram
members across states of the North East is very key.
“It is very
important that we must get them to play that important role of identifying
these terrorists and their influence from one position to the other.
“As we
collaborate today, this counter insurgency should not be left for the military
alone as its success does not fully lie with the military.
“The
collaboration with the civil authority as well as the volunteers is a welcome
development,” he said.
The COAS
commended the governor for his effort in gathering the volunteers toward
ensuring that the people return to their communities.
He assured
that the collaboration between the military and the CJTF as well as other
security agencies would ensure the actualisation of the resettlement plan of
the government.
According to
him, elaborate arrangement has been made for their welfare as well as the
equipment for them to operate effectively.
He added that
the CJTF would be the stabilising force that would change the course of the
counter insurgency operation in the North East.
Earlier, the
Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya said the
incorporation of the Civilian JTF into army operations was aimed at harnessing
the skills and competence of the personnel in terms of the terrain and
environment which were essential ingredients in fighting insurgency.
Yahaya said
the members of the CJTF would also help in identifying the wanted terrorists.
He commended
the effort of the state government in assembling members of the CJTF to support
the military in achieving its objectives.
According to
him, the CJTF assembled here is a comprehensive plan of the COAS to key them
into this operation and that is why we already have guidelines for their
operation and conducts among others.
Zulum, while
commending effort of the military in the fight against insurgency, announced
the donation of additional 100 motorcycles for the operation of the CJTF.
He also
pledged to continue to collaborate with the Nigerian army in his effort to
resettle the displaced persons by the insurgency to their ancestral homes.
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