Troops arrest insurgents that disguised as women
By Abdullahi M. Gulloma and Jibrin Baba Ndace, Abuja
Central African leaders, under the aegis of the Economic Community of Central African Countries (ECCAC), will join hands with Nigeria and other West African countries in the battle against Boko Haram, President Denis Sassou N’Guesso of the Republic of Congo said yesterday.
He said this in Abuja after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Republic of Equatorial Guinea at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.
He said the African leaders would collectively utilise all political, military and diplomatic actions and mobilise all efforts in all fronts to degrade and eradicate Boko Haram.
He said leaders of the sub-regional group would also deal with the Ebola disease in parts of Africa that has been a source of concern to them and their people.
He said: “As we know, Africa is confronting two challenges. Significantly, Ebola is affecting basically countries in West Africa. These countries are Liberia, Guinea and Serra Leone.
“Also, the operations of the terrorists generally affecting countries in the sub-Saharan Africa and in northern Africa, particularly Boko Haram, which has been affecting Nigeria, Chad and Cameroun.
“Like you know, at the last meeting of the Africa Union, the Heads of State took some very important decisions, principally to check the Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroun and Chad.
“Following the meeting of the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African Countries had a meeting recently in Yaoundé to address particularly the Boko Haram challenge in Africa and to see the possibility of ameliorating the grave situation. It is on that platform that we met with our friend President Jonathan of Nigeria.
“We are here because we have been mandated by the Heads of State of the Central African Community to bring here, and show our solidarity to the people of Nigeria and the government of Nigeria, and to our brother and friend, President Jonathan.”
N’Guesso said they would meet with President John Mahama of Ghana, who is the chairman of ECOWAS, in continuation of their consultations on the two issues confronting the region.
“We will study the situation together and put in place security architecture to see how we can coordinate all our actions to put out and eradicate the Boko Haram, which has been spreading in a very grave manner. We look forward to peace, security and development in Africa.”
In a related development, the cordon and search operation in Baga has revealed some terrorists disguising as women, the Defence Headquarters said.
In a statement he issued yesterday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said the operation has also led to the discovery of arms in various locations in Baga town.
The director said: “The searches are also yielding more discoveries of arms, especially bombs hidden in various locations, especially Baga town. Apart from those captured in the course of fighting, many arrests of terrorists hiding in the town are being made and troops are still busy interrogating the suspects.
“Meanwhile, in furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves by the military, the Nigerian Air Force has stepped up its air bombardment of identified targets in Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa Forest, preparatory to other phases of the mission.
“The air strikes have been highly successful as they achieved the aims, hitting vital targets with required precision. Terrorists are now in disarray as they scamper to escape from the impact of air bombardment of their locations in the forest.
“Having successfully liberated Baga where the terrorists have been marauding, the troops’ attention has now been focused on consolidation of the security of the area to pave way for return of citizens.”
