The army urged abutting communities to watch out for the fleeing Boko Haram
... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...turbans as their enclaves in Lake Chad region come under intense onslaught.
Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Maiduguri.
Nwachukwu disclosed that 250 fighters of the Al Barnawi-led faction of the turbans had surrendered to Nigerian Army, sequel to artillery and aerial bombardments by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole of their enclaves in Lake Chad basin.
He added that 700 turbans also surrendered to troops at Monguno in an ongoing clearance operation.
Nwachukwu explained that Mamman Nur, another factional leader of the turbans sustained fatal injuries and one of his wives killed in the operation, while many of the turbans who escaped, surrendered to Niger Defence Forces.
The army front man noted that some of the turbans fleeing from the ongoing offensive were senior and junior commanders of the Al Barnawi faction.
"The turbans are attempting to melt into communities in and around Kano, Geidam and Gashua axis unnoticed. One of such fleeing commanders is Bana Bafui.
"Members of the general public, particularly in Kano, Geidam, Gashua, Hadejia and northern part of Jigawa State are therefore enjoined to be vigilant, watch out for strange faces in their communities and report same to security agencies".
Nwachukwu called on the turbans to surrender, adding that the Federal Government has provided a window through the Operation SAFE CORRIDOR to encourage the holy warriors' voluntary surrender.
He revealed that about 300 turbans were currently undergoing de-radicalization process for possible integration into the society.
"We call on Boko Haram turbans to abandon the futile struggle; take advantage of the Safe Corridor programme and surrender to troops in any location nearest to them.