SOLDIERS carrying out mopping up operations in the border town of Baga which they recaptured earlier this week have apprehended several members of Boko Haram trying to escape disguised as women.

 On Sunday, military chiefs claim that the Nigerian armed forces recaptured Baga, on the shores of Lake Chad from Boko Haram, killings hundreds of terrorists in the process and forcing many to flee resulting in them drowning in Lake Chad. Since then, the military presence in the town has been stepped up, with Nigerian and Chadian troops trying to find any of the insurgents who may be hiding.

 Troops have since arrested a number of terrorists who disguised as women in Baga according to the director of defence information Major General Chris Olukolade. He added that the troops were screening a group of people mostly women, to ascertain their true identities and find out whether they were supporters of the deadly sect or not.

 In addition, Major General Olukolade pointed out that the troops had arrested many terrorists hiding in the town apart from those captured during the battle. According to the military, several arms and bombs hidden at some locations within Baga had also been recovered during the mopping up.

 Major General Olukolade added: “The cordon and search in Baga has revealed some terrorists disguising as women. The searches are also yielding more discoveries of arms especially bombs hidden in various locations, especially Baga town.

 “Apart from those captured in the course of fighting, many terrorists hiding in the town are being arrested and troops are still busy interrogating the suspects. In furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves by the military, the Nigerian Air Force has stepped up its air bombardments of identified targets in Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa Forest, preparatory to other phases of the mission."

 He pointed out that the air strikes have been highly successful as they achieved the aims, hitting vital targets with required precision. Major General Olukolade said that the military was now preoccupied with the consolidation of the liberated areas to pave the way for the return of the residents after flushing out the terrorists from Baga.