Nigerian: 455 captives freed in push against Boko Haram

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - At least 455 captives were freed Tuesday from Boko Haram hideouts in Nigeria’s northeast region as troops launched a major counterinsurgency operation to rout militants from areas still considered unsafe, an army spokesman said.

This rescue appears to be one of the largest in a single operation in recent times. At a news briefing earlier this month, the army said it freed some 5,000 captives from terrorist Boko Haram hideouts in the month between February and March.

Various security agencies normally vet freed hostages and assign them to camps if they are found to be innocent victims of the seven-year insurgency.

In the latest operations, soldiers cleared the areas of “Bok, Misherde, Mika and Kutila also in the Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State, where they liberated 455 persons held hostages by the terrorists,” army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement.

He said the freed captives have been vetted and taken to a displaced persons’ camp in the town of Rann.

Usman said dozens of militants were also killed in the Kutila area of the state during an attack on troops while munitions were also seized.

According to him, militants were also routed from Artano, Saduguma, Duve, Bordo, Kala, Bok, Magan, Misherde, Ahisari, Gilgil, Mika, Hiwa, Kutila, and Shirawa settlements in the Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.