TheCable

The Nigeria army says it has arrested two wanted Boko Haram leaders with the cooperation of the police.

With this latest arrest, five Boko Haram leaders, who were declared wanted a few weeks ago, are now in the custody of the military.

According to Sani Usman, the insurgent leaders were arrested at different locations in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

“In another unprecedented development yesterday, troops of 101 task force battalion, seventh division garrison, along Lagos street Maiduguri, Borno state, arrested yet another declared wanted Boko Haram terrorists leader,” Usman said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The suspect, who gave his name as Abubakar Sadiq, works as night watchman to one Muhammad Daggash. A closer look at him shows that he was suspect number 28 among the suspected Boko Haram terrorists that were declared by the Nigeria army last month.

“In a related development, the Nigeria police, Borno state command, arrested yet another suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Mohammed Usman, at Abuja Talakawa ward of Maiduguri metropolis, Borno state yesterday. The suspect, who marches the photograph of suspect Number 40 on the poster containing the photographs of the 100 wanted suspected Boko Haram terrorists, was arrested after painstaking effort and tracking by the police.”

Usman said there was no doubt that the arrests of the suspected terrorists were important milestones that show the synergy of effort in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria among the security agencies and the public.

“The chief of army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai commended the vigilant troops and the Nigeria Police in particular, Borno State Command, for their great efforts,” he added.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate that as we move for the final onslaught against Boko Haram terrorists, there is the urgent need for all of us to be more vigilant and security conscious.”