NAN-DS-7
Residents
By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, March 16, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Army on Thursday urged residents in the North-East to collaborate with the military to fish out Boko Haram collaborators in their midst.
Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director Army Public Relations Department, made the appeal in a statement in Maiduguri.
Usman noted that suspected Boko Haram terrorists attempted to unleash mayhem on Magumeri town in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State on Wednesday.
According to him, the timely intervention of the military thwarted the attack.
“While troops are still consolidating and mopping up, it is imperative to state that preliminary investigation shows that the attackers of Magumeri came from the same community.
“The terrorists that attacked the village are well known to the people.’’
He also noted that the village was never attacked throughout the period of the insurgency for some inexplicable reasons.
“The terrorists and their collaborators hibernating in the area were never exposed. There seems to be an unholy alliance between the terrorists and the villagers.
“Consequently, we are constrained to state that it is now high time for the people to take up the fight themselves and help the Nigerian military and other security agencies to protect them.’’
He warned that it is a grievous mistake and a criminal offence to continue to shield or harbour any known Boko Haram terrorist.
“The terrorists must be exposed and their movements promptly reported to security agencies.
“The terrorists are inhuman and barbaric; therefore, they cannot be trusted to spare anyone in perpetuating their inhuman acts.
“ It is imperative that all communities in the North-East, especially Borno State, should fully cooperate with the military and the security agencies by exposing Boko Haram terrorists in their respective towns and villages,” Usman said. (NAN)
ABI/OFN/NKO
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Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Nkechi Okoronkwo