Military Rescues 25 More Women and Children, Destroys Seven Terror Camps

House commends troops, calls for rehabilitation of freed hostages

Muhammad Bello and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja with agency report The Nigerian military has rescued 25 more women and children from Sambisa forest, and destroyed seven additional terrorist camps in the Boko Haram enclave, in a renewed onslaught against the Islamist sect.

The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, adding that more Boko Haram fighters were killed in the process.

Olukolade said that the troops who scaled the landmines in continuation of the assault on the forest bases of the terrorists, captured camps which include the four notorious Alafa camps as well as those in Rogo Fulani, Laraga and others used for the terrorists' training in the forest.

According to him, various weapons including rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), anti-aircraft guns and a number of vehicles were either captured or destroyed during the operation.

Olukolade further disclosed that the four soldiers who were wounded during the rescue operation were evacuated for treatment.

He said military operation was continuing with troops demonstrating high morale and fighting spirit as they search the forests for terrorists, arms and hostages.

Meanwhile, as the troops continue to smoke out Boko Haram insurgents from their hideouts, the House of Representatives yesterday praised officers and men of the armed forces for their valour.

Prompted by a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Friday Itula (PDP, Edo), during which he commended the troops and drew the attention of the House to the fate of the hundreds of women and children who had been rescued from Sambisa forest, the House referred the matter to the House Committee on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness for further legislative action.

Leading the debate, Itulah urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently rehabilitate and reintegrate the over 700 women, girls and children rescued by the troops during the operation.

“Everyone of us is aware of what has been going on in the North-east with regards to the military operation in Sambisa forest. We have also been told that a very large number of women and children have been rescued.

“A very large number of the women rescued are also said to be pregnant, something that should be viewed with all the seriousness it deserves as an emergency.

“It’s however not enough for us to sit and say that something is being done, but we must ensure that these people are properly rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society to be able to live a normal life just like the rest of us.

“The House therefore should urge the Committee on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness to liaise with NEMA with a view to rehabilitating and reintegrating them into the society and report back to the House within two weeks,” Itula said.

Supporting the motion, Hon. Abdulrahman Terab (APC, Borno) said a situation where many of the rescued women were found pregnant portends danger for the country.

“This motion is very apt at this time. And I'm also very glad that the mover of the motion is asking for federal intervention in areas of rehabilitation and reintegration of these people.

“Because as we speak, the situation remains a time bomb if urgent steps are not taken to sensitise the victims through a very special project to re-adjust their psyche and make them see the need to live again.

“We need to device means of seeing how these unborn children are going to grow in those societies. And the steps involved are enormous because you have to take data to know the numbers involved then do the needful by taking care of their needs,” he said.

In his contribution, Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the issue of rehabilitation must be prioritised.

“We do know that beyond the physical injuries and suffering that these people have been put through, we also should be mindful of the emotional and psychological trauma they must have been exposed to.

“So I would urge the mover of this motion to elaborate and convert this motion to a Victims Rehabilitation Bill that would be speedily passed by this House so that the issue doesn’t fall on deaf ears due to the resolution that may arise from it,” Gbajabiamila said.

For Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, another member from Borno State, he reiterated his call for a Marshall Plan and adequate budgetary allocation to states in the North-east, especially Borno, which he described as the “epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency”.