The Nigerian army has discover a new special operation, designed to flush out the remnants of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists from the Northeast zone has been launched by the Nigerian Army.
Tagged “Operation Positive Identification,” troops will search for and arrest all suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP criminal elements who still roam the states in the Northeast.
The Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole explained yesterday that the exercise was aimed at searching for and arresting all suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP criminal elements, who are still present in the zone.
In a statement issued by the deputy director, Army Public Relations of Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Ado Isa, he said that the strategy had become necessary following credible information that some of the fleeing criminals were hibernating in some towns and villages in Borno and Yobe States in particular, and the Northeast in general.
He said: “Consequently, members of the public are enjoined to always carry valid means of identification when moving or passing through the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.”
Col. Isa added that troops had been instructed to strictly check valid means of identification such as the National Identification Card, Voter Registration Card, Driver’s Licence and International Passports, or other valid official identification, before allowing such persons passage.
He enjoined the residents to cooperate with the troops and other security agents to carry out the exercise.
The Theatre Command further declared that anyone not positively identified would attract further scrutiny and comprehensive investigation to determine his or her activities with the insurgents or otherwise.
He appealed to the general public to bear with the troops, stressing that it was in their best interest and the security of the country.
Isa concluded that the new strategy was part of the renewed efforts to end the “madness called insurgency” as perpetrated by the Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters.