By The Borno State Government has called on insurgents to release civilians abducted during recent attacks on communities in the state.
The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, while briefing journalists in Maiduguri following an extraordinary Security Council meeting held on Tuesday to review the resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in parts of the state.
The attacks reportedly claimed the lives of soldiers and several community members, including the chief imam of one of the affected communities.
Prof. Tar explained that although the state government does not negotiate with terrorists, it has appealed for the unconditional release of all abducted victims. According to him, a woman who was among those abducted was later freed by the insurgents and returned to the community, where she reported that the remaining captives were still alive and in good condition.
He said the security meeting was attended by the Abubakar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi, heads of security agencies, and leaders of various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with responsibilities related to security.
Tar noted that the council reviewed the current security situation across the state, particularly the renewed insurgent attacks in vulnerable communities. The meeting assessed recent incidents involving the loss of lives, destruction of property, and damage to military equipment, as well as casualties among both civilians and military personnel.
The council also commiserated with the Nigerian Armed Forces and affected communities over the loss of military commanders, soldiers, and civilians in attacks reported in areas including Ngoshe, Dalwa and Konduga.
Despite the recent attacks, the council commended the theatre commander and other security agencies for their continued efforts to safeguard lives and property in the state.
Prof. Tar further explained that recent military operations in the Timbuktu Triangle forced insurgents out of their strongholds. He suggested that the renewed attacks may be a reaction by the militants as they come under increased pressure from military operations.
He added that the council expressed serious concern over the escalation of attacks in fragile communities such as Ngoshe and Konduga and urged the military to strengthen operational tactics to reverse the recent trend.
According to him, the council also took note of military operational plans and expressed optimism that the improved strategies would help bring the security situation under control in the coming days.
The council further expressed concern over the loss of critical military assets during the attacks and stressed the need to prevent similar incidents in the future. It also directed the Borno Security Forum to develop detailed tactical plans to enhance security, particularly in Maiduguri, during the last ten days of Ramadan.
Tar urged residents to disregard fake news and rumours being circulated by individuals seeking to cause panic among the public.
He also called on citizens to support the Nigerian military and other security agencies by providing credible intelligence that could help in the fight against insurgency in the state.
