The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, Operation Restore Order, has discovered a mass grave in the enclave of the outlawed Boko Haram sect where it buried many of its deceased members and victims.
According to the task force, many decomposing bodies were found in the grave so also were weapons which were also buried to hide them from probing eyes.
JTF, in a statement by its spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said the discovery followed the dislodgment of the sect from their main enclave of Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja within Maiduguri metropolis between July 3 and 8.
The military also said it discovered a series of bunkers dug by the insurgents at the site.
A number of bodies were also found, Musa said.
The dead included people “killed by the terrorists” as well the bodies of presumed Boko Haram fighters which had been buried in the area, according to Musa.
He mentioned “mass graves” found amid the bunkers, but provided no figures or details.
Boko Haram combatants are known to retrieve the bodies of members killed in clashes. The corpses allegedly found at the site may be those of Islamist fighters killed in previous battles and later buried by the group.
The security forces continue to enforce a mobile phone shut down in much of the northeast, including in Maiduguri.
The communication blackout was imposed in mid-May to block Boko Haram fighters from coordinating attacks amid an ongoing offensive aimed at crushing the insurgency.
With no mobile phone service, it has been difficult to verify or corroborate the military’s accounts of any clashes.
Musa, in the statement, said: “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 (the Amir) 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 (during the fire fight) and handed over to their families by the task force.
“During the search of the areas, many arms and ammunition of various calibre 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 and taken away by them.
“Troops also discovered vast network mouse-holes linking compounds and underground tunnels as well as bunkers under houses.”
He added that the troops were still searching the area for more weapons, ammunition and mass graves.
He however asked for more support and information from the public on the activities of Boko Haram, saying that the fight against the terrorist group cannot be left to security agencies alone
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