TheCable

The Nigerian army says 68 members of the Boko Haram insurgent group have denounced violence and surrendered within the last three weeks.

Onyema Nwachukwu, deputy director, public relations, theatre command, said this in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said the surrender is following “intensified onslaught” against the insurgents through operation Lafiya Dole.

He also said the operation has pushed the insurgents to the “brink of defeat.”

“The coordinated air and artillery bombardments of their enclaves are backed by long range patrols and ambushes targeted at preventing fleeing Boko Haram terrorists from escaping and also denying them access to logistics supply,” the statement read.

“The sustained operations have further pushed the terrorist group to the brink of defeat with many of its foot soldiers surrendering to troops of operation Lafiya Dole.

“So far, a total of 68 insurgents have denounced terrorists activities within the last three weeks. These surrendered terrorists also reported that many of the enclaves have become untenable and life has become unbearable for the Boko Haram terrorists owing to the blockade emplaced by troops and the sustained bombardments.”

Nwachukwu added that “repentant” insurgents are currently undergoing rehabilitation and de-radicalization programmes organized by the federal government through “operation safe corridor.”

He said with “enormous pressure” put on the insurgents, factional leaders of the group are now calling for international support.

“The theatre command therefore urges all Boko Haram insurgents to have a rethink and discard the hypocritical ideologies espoused by their leaders,” he also said

“They can surrender to any military location nearest to them. The theatre command assures them of their safety and well-being if they surrender willingly.”

The army’s claim is coming less than 24 hours after a suicide bomb attack in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, left five policemen injured.