Some surrendered and repentant insurgents have provided vital information to security operatives that has led to the discovery of hidden ammunition buried in a ditch at a house in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI that after the bullets and money were discovered in a hole buried by insurgents, the soldiers, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members and other security operatives started a thorough investigation and began to conduct house-to-house searches in Bama town on Tuesday, November 29.

“The initial money and bullets were discovered by the Nigerian Army – with the help of the surrendered insurgents – inside a residential property in the Waziri area of Bama town near the Shehu’s Palace. Now security operatives are working together to search houses in the town.”

A member of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who also asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, told RNI that on Wednesday and Thursday last week about 20 surrendered and repentant insurgents gave up some vital information which led to the discovery of ammunition which was buried in the ditch at the house in Bama.

“We recovered live ammunition and bullets, which the insurgents told us were buried there when Boko Haram [the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] captured Bama town.

“It’s now evident that when the Boko Haram captured Bama town, they hid a number of items, including assorted weapons and money, among other valuables, thinking that they would use the weapons and money to continue with their terrorism, attacking and killing innocent people.”

The CJTF member said he hoped the surrendered insurgents would continue to give security operatives their maximum cooperation to help in investigations and to discover weapons, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and bombs, as well as money and valuables, that were buried and hidden in the town.

“We are asking them to urge active insurgents to come out of the forests where they have hidden strongholds and bases and to surrender so that peace can be restored. The government has established Operation Safe Corridor for surrendered and repentant insurgents, as well as former combatants. The aim is to rehabilitate and deradicalise them, enabling them to return to their former communities and live in peace. The government gives them food, money and other essential items and even provides training so they will have the skills to become self-reliant.”

He urged JAS and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters to lay down their weapons and work towards peace and unity.

“War can never be an option to attain peace and stability in our dear country,” he said.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO