Army Later Confirms The Arrest Of APC Chieftains Linked To Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army on Thursday, January 5, 2017 confirmed the arrest of an All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, the chairman of Mafa Local Government in Borno, Shettima Lawan, for alleged link with the Boko Haram terrorists.

Major General Lucky Irabor, the commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, made the confirmation during a news conference at the headquarters of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state.

“All I can say is that the chairman is a big supporter of Boko Haram,” Irabor told members of the press.

“We heard that he harboured Boko Haram members along with his father. That he kept the Boko Haram members because the father begged him to do so.

“The chairman was in the habit of accommodating people that had fled from the bush.

“At some point he was valuable to us being with the Civilian JTF to fight Boko Haram. But that does not mean we cannot investigate him for a crime especially one like this.

“We have also arrested the vice chairman of Kaga Local Government [also a chieftain of the APC in Borno] and he is undergoing interrogation,” Irabor said.

On Christmas Eve, President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army for their historic final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa Forest.

In a goodwill message to troops on Saturday, December 24, 2016 of the Operation Lafiya Dole on the successful capture of the Boko Haram enclave in Sambisa Forest, Buhari said that he was proud of the troops

Thursday, troops rescued one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in a village near Sambisa forest. She was with her 6-month-old son. (NAN)