No fewer than 386 people, mostly women and children, have been rescued by the Nigerian Army in Sambisa forest 10 years after their abduction.
Acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Brigadier General AGL Haruna, revealed this when he spoke with newsmen.
He spoke on the outskirts of Sambisa forest in Konduga Local Government Area after welcoming the troops that conducted the 10-day operation.
Haruna said that the operation, tagged: “Operation Desert Sanity 111,” was to clear Sambisa forest of the remnants of all categories of terrorists as well as provide some of them eager to surrender as observed the opportunity to do so.
He said: “Our effort is to ensure that we clear remnants of terrorists in the Sambisa and give those willing to surrender the opportunity to surrender.
“With this operation, we envisage many of them will surrender as they have started.
“We also rescued some civilians.
“As of yesterday, we rescued 386.
“And I am sure the number will increase by today.”
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The GOC, who addressed the troops on the message of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, lauded their performance and the professionalism exhibited during the operation and urged them to sustain the tempo.
Some of those rescued who spoke said they have been in captivity for the past 10 years.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that troops from 21 Special Armoured Brigade, 26 Task Force Brigade, and 199 Special Forces participated in the operation.
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