About 700 people have escaped from boko haram insurgents and are at at a military holding facility in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno state.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Col. Timothy Antigha, in a statement issued in Maiduguri, said that the over 700 persons abducted by insurgents had escaped from their captors and received by the 242 Battalion, Monguno.
He said the abductees including males, females and children were forced to work as farm labourers by the insurgents.
He said that two women among the freed persons delivered safely at the holding facility.
The army spokesman added that the intensified onslaught against the insurgents under Operation Deep Punch II had weakened and decimated their positions, which enabled the persons to escape.
“Over 700 farmers, fishermen and members of their families hitherto held by boko haram terrorists as farm workers have fled the various islands in Lake Chad to Monguno.
“The exodus of the abductees is not unconnected to a follow-up operation conducted a few days ago to exploit the gains of the recent successful Operation Deep Punch 2 in Chikun Gudu and adjourning localities.
“The follow-up operation conducted by the Nigerian Air Force and 38 Task Force Artillery Brigade, 8 Division, Operation Lafiya Dole, was targeted at destroying Boko Haram infrastructure and logistics such as communication centers, fabrication yards, bomb making equipment, vehicles and other means of sustenance.”
