The Defence Headquarters has claimed that Boko Haram has been completely wiped out from the Sambisa Forest.
This was stated by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, during a chat with newsmen at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Abubakar also said those carrying suicide bombings in parts of the North-East were the remnants of the insurgent group.
“What we are seeing now as Boko Haram in Nigeria are just remnants that carry out these attacks. Most of the children that we caught were children who don’t even know what they were doing.
“They were being drugged and have the explosive devices trapped on them. Most of them were drugged and they were ambitious so that those who sent them will meet their target,” he said.
“Even in most developed nations, you can hardly completely wipe out insurgents. There is always on scenario or the other, just to pretend as if they are alive. But Boko Haram and all its apparatus have been completely destroyed.
“Boko Haram members are in disarray and that was why we issued a statement last week that due to the ongoing crackdown on Boko Haram, some escapees may tried to integrate into the communities.
“As we announced this, we were equally working with other security agencies, who we have always collaborated with, to ensure that those fleeing Boko Haram members are apprehended. That helped us in Abuja and other places were we apprehended fleeing Boko Haram members.
“Boko Haram is gone in Nigeria and it has gone for good. ; what we are doing is to only sensitise citizens on the need to alert us on fleeing Boko Haram members. On the Chibok girls, our Operation Rescue Finale is still ongoing to rescue the girls”, he added.