Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.- Gen Rogers Nicholas, has said that within the last few weeks, about 132 Boko Haram terrorists had voluntarily surrendered to the Nigerian Armed forces on their own in Bama, Monguno, Maka Balge, Damboa and Kumshe axis. He also appealed to the insurgents yet to willingly surrender to the Nigerian military to do so freely at their own time by giving their weapons and arms to the nearest military camps and formations closer to them.
Parading fresh set of 5 BHTs out of the 17 that recently willingly surrendered to the military at Kala Balge and Kumshe area yesterday at the headquarters of the Theater Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, the Theatre Commander added that the Nigerian military doors were open anytime for the BHTs wanting to surrender on their own to do so without problem. He further disputed the speculations making the rounds that the Nigerian military were rather killing BHTs that surrendered instead of taking care of them, arguing that, rather the military have been applying the international standard by providing medical and welfare services to those that earlier surrendered.
General Nicholas said, hundreds of BHTs have voluntarily surrendered one their own while others were arrested and have been undergoing medical treatment, rehabilitation and deradicalisation process peacefully and smoothly before they would be reunited with their families and relations after hand over to the government. He assured that the military will continue its operations, saying its doors were open to welcome any BHT that will surrender on his or her own to the security for medical treatment, rehabilitation, deradicalisation and reintegration.
One of the BHTs that spoke to the journalists, Hassan Dahiru, said initially they were forcefully conscripted into the BHT group and now realised that the activities were not Islamic. Dahiru added that they highly regretted in participating in the killings and destructions carried out by the BHTs against innocent people, pointing out that, what the BHTs did were cruel and against humanity. According to him, the only thing they wanted now was for God to forgive them and thanked the security agencies for giving them the window to willingly surrender.
