Military Operations Result in 212 Terrorists Eliminated as Court Orders Release of 313 Boko Haram Suspects

The Federal High Court in Borno has issued a directive for the release of 313 individuals suspected of ties to terrorist activities, citing insufficient evidence to prosecute them. The court’s decision comes amid heightened military efforts against insurgency across the nation.

During a briefing on Thursday, Major General Buba Edward, Director of Defence Media Operations, revealed that the Defence Headquarters reported the neutralization of 121 terrorists, along with the apprehension of 253 others and the successful rescue of 244 kidnapped hostages in various operations nationwide over the past week.

Maj. Gen. Edward emphasized the military’s commitment to abide by the court order, stating, “A total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government, following a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri. The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.”

This decision has sparked discussions regarding the challenges in prosecuting terrorism-related cases. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, highlighted the difficulties encountered in securing convictions, with only 366 out of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism being convicted. Nearly 900 others were discharged due to insufficient evidence.

Meanwhile, military operations in different regions yielded significant results. In the North-East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralized 52 terrorists, arrested 137 individuals, and rescued 78 kidnapped hostages. Substantial quantities of arms and ammunition were also recovered during these operations.

Similar successes were achieved in the North Central and North-West regions, with operations conducted by troops of Operations Safe Haven, Whirl Stroke, and Hadarin Daji resulting in the elimination of terrorists, apprehension of suspects, and rescue of kidnapped victims. Additionally, a substantial cache of weapons was recovered, further weakening the capabilities of insurgent groups in these areas.