The Theatre Commander, Joint Taskforce North East Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Christopher Musa, has handed over two rescued Chibok schoolgirls who have been in the captivity of Boko Haram for the past nine years.
Hauwa Joseph is number 18, while Mary Dauda is number 46 on the list of the over 200 girls abducted on April 14, 2014.
They were abducted by Boko Haram Terrorists at Government Secondary School, Chibok town, Borno State.
Musa, who spoke with newsmen at the Headquarters Theatre Command, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, said: “I am delighted to inform you some of the major achievements recorded by troops in the Theatre.
“Apart from rescuing these two Chibok girls with their children, we have also decimated dozens of terrorists who have been hiding in the Sambisa forest, especially the Timbuktu Triangle, during our fighting patrols.
“As the rainy season sets in and a lot of farmers are willing to go to their farms, we will work tirelessly to provide safety of our farmers in their farming activities, but we want to appeal that the farmers should be wary of some planted Improvised Explosive Devices by terrorists in some areas, even though, the military is doing everything possible to clear most of the places suspected to have unexploded IEDs planted by terrorists in the region.
“I want to also appeal to the State Government and other philantropic organisations to assist farmers with agricultural inputs or farming tools to boost the morale of the teeming farmers who have since relocated to their liberated communities.”
On the reopening of the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu 185km road, which was closed down to motorists some years ago, General Musa said troops are currently combing the road, which passes through Sambisa Forest.
He appealed to the Borno State Government and other Non-Governmental Organisations to collaborate with troops to fix some portions of the said road for easy access, as troops continue clearance of unexploded IEDs planted along the road.
Speaking on how the Chibok girls were rescued, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Waidi Shaibu, said Joseph was rescued with her child on June 12 in Bama Local Government Area, while Dauda was rescued with her child on June 14 during troops’ fighting patrol in the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
Shaibu said the girls and their children have undergone proper medical check-up and treatment before handing them over to the Government that would subsequently reunite them with their parents.
Responding, the rescued girls thanked the military for displaying gallant efforts in rescuing them from Boko Haram captivity.
Both narrated how they in the past nine years.