Kill 34 insurgents
By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
The Nigerian military has denied the report that leader of Boko Haram insurgent, Ibrahim Shekau has been arrested along with his wife and his deputy.
The Theater Commander Operation Lafiya Dole North East, Major General Lucky Irabor said he had been inundated with several phone calls from far and near on the same online and newspaper report that his wife are under military custody ,while his deputy, Mamman Nur, surrendered himself to the military.
He explained further that even some of his colleagues and friends were calling and congratulating him for successfully arresting whoever is Shekau, “but that is not true. I also heard the same thing as you journalists also heard and read online and in newspapers.
“I have been here, nobody has come to hand over anybody to me and Shkau’s wife is not with us as they rumoured or reported because no commanding officer has reported to me that he arrested Shekau or his wife or Mamman Nur surrendered to him yet, but whenever they do that, I will let you know”.
The theater commander, however warned the media to be mindful of saboteurs and enemies of the military who may want to smear the image of the military and rubbish the integrity of the Nigerian military and the nation as such people do not appreciate anything from the Nigerian military and government.
The theater commander, who stated this yesterday in Maiduguri while briefing journalists on the latest achievements of the command within the week in Sambisa Forest held at the theater command headquarters Maimalari cantonment, Maiduguri, however, has disclosed that over 4000 soldiers have promoted so far within the theater command.
He added that over 30 officers have also been promoted in the course of the Operation Lafiya Dole in the north east while more are expected to be promoted soon.
Irabor assured that the theater command was fully committed amd remained loyal and obedient to its mandate and the nation while appealing to the media to support and cooperate with the mioitary to end the war at sambisa forest finally before the end of the month or year as the operation rwcue finale in the fotrst has reached the end stage withover 85% covered, rescued and cleared despite the few attacks.
He appreciated the federal government and other security agencies in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east while pledging the end of the insurgency soonest.
