Some shocking discoveries have been
made in Maiduguri, the beleaguered
Borno State capital that is the engine -
room of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation
Restore Order II, found mass graves,
tunnels and bunkers in Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital.
JTF spokesman Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa
showed reporters shallow graves, tunnels
and bunkers at Bulabulin Nganaram
yesterday. He said Boko Haram men who
died in gun battles with security troops
were buried in the graves.
Around the shallow graves in the open
field were decomposing bodies and
human bones. There was a big bunker
where the JTF said it discovered a cache
of weapons. The bunker, according to the
JTF, was dug behind a two-bedroom
apartment, making residents to believe it
was a sewage pit. There were also
tuunels, which are believed to have
served as passage for the insurgents from
their hideouts.
Bulabulin Nganaram is believed to be the
main stronghold of the insurgents.
The JTF, in a statement by Col Musa, said:
“The Joint Task Force (JTF) between 3-8
July, 2013 dislodged Boko Haram
terrorists from their main enclave in
Bulabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja
areas of Maiduguri metropolis.
“During the encounter, some terrorists
were killed in the fire fight, including the
main Amir of Bulabulin Nganaram (who
was on the wanted list of the JTF with a
ten million naira bounty). He was
responsible for the killing of a teacher and
three students of Sanda Karami Secondary
School, Ruwan Zafi Maiduguri. Many
abducted women, girls and children were
rescued and handed over to their families
by the Task Force.
“During the search of the areas, many
arms and ammunition of various calibres
buried in houses and cemeteries were
recovered. Decomposing corpses of those
killed by the terrorists were also found in
soak-away and mass graves of terrorists
killed. Troops also discovered vast
network mouse-holes linking compounds
and underground tunnels as well as
bunkers under houses. Troops are still
searching the area for more weapons,
ammunition and mass graves. The JTF
uses this opportunity to appeal to
members of the public for support and
more information on terrorists’
activities.”
Despite Boko Haram leader Imam
Shekau’s denial, the Committee on
Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of
Security Challenges in the North insisted
yesterday that the ceasefire negotiation
with the sect is still on course.
The committee said Nigerians should
expect “something positive” before the
end of the week.
It, however, said it would not take up
issues with Shekau in order not to lose
focus.
A member of the committee, who spoke
in confidence with our correspondent,
insisted that the committee had made
progress in its negotiation with Boko
Haram.
The source said: “The ceasefire
negotiation is still on course; there is no
going back. Before the end of the week,
something positive will come up that will
vindicate our claim that we are
negotiating.
“We do not want to counter what Imam
Shekau said, but before the end of the
week, there will be something positive.”
Asked to clear the air on Shekau’s denial
of ceasefire, the source said: “We doubt
indeed if Shekau made that statement.
And if he did, we are raising these issues:
Do they know Mohammed Marwana or
not who was the person we met with?
Has anyone come out to say that
Marwana is not a member of Boko
Haram?
Has anyone disputed the position of the
Deputy Leader of Boko Haram which
Marwana claimed he is occupying?”
The source stressed that neither the
Chairman of the committee nor any of its
members said they met Shekau. “We had
talks with Marwana, who represented the
group,” he said, adding:
“The Boko Haram leadership up till now
has not disowned Marwana, who also
defended the sect last week that it was
not behind the killing of 36 students in a
secondary school in Mamudo in Yobe
State. Marawana told us that Boko Haram
members were not behind the gruesome
killings. The sect has also corroborated
Marwana’s position.
“If Marwana is not a member or one of
the leaders of the sect, Boko Haram
leadership would have disowned him by
now. In March, one Abdulazeez said he
was speaking for Boko Haram and his
claim was swiftly dismissed.
“So, we will not take up issues with
Shekau because if we do, we will now
leave substance and begin to chase the
shadow.
“We do not want anything that could
derail our ongoing talks with Boko
Haram.”
On the claim by the Defence
Headquarters that it was not involved in
ceasefire negotiation, the source said it
was not yet time for Defence to be
involved.
“This committee does not report to the
Chief of Defence Staff or any of the
service chiefs. We are expected to report
to the President and Commander-In-
Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan, who will then decide on how
the military and other security agencies
should be involved,” the source said.
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