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800 Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists Undergoing Deradicalisation – DHQ

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The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that 800 former Boko Haram fighters who surrendered to the military are currently undergoing deradicalisation as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.

Speaking on Channels TV Morning Brief on Monday, the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Emeka Onumajuru, revealed that while 129,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families had so far surrendered, only a select group had been chosen for rehabilitation.

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“To get the numbers right, right now, (we have) about 129,000 surrendered Boko Haram members and their families,” Onumajuru stated.

He explained that all surrendered individuals are subjected to legal scrutiny, with those found guilty facing prosecution, while others deemed fit for rehabilitation are placed in the deradicalisation programme.

READ ALSO: Again Boko Haram Kills Army Commander, 19 Soldiers In Borno

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Some of them are in detention facilities, some of them are in Kainji, and there is a special court that goes through all of them. Those that were found culpable face the books, and those that are going to be deradicalised go through the process, which takes about a year,” he said.

The military chief defended the feasibility of rehabilitating former insurgents within a year, noting that the programme is handled by professionals under Operation Safe Corridor, a non-kinetic approach to combating terrorism.

It’s possible because the deradicalisation is done by professionals. That one-year period is sufficient enough, depending on the people handling the deradicalisation,” Onumajuru asserted.

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He further clarified that not all surrendered fighters are automatically admitted into the programme.

READ ALSO: Boko Haram Commander, 5 Fighters Surrender In Borno

“The number taken in is not huge. As I said, we have 129,000 Boko Haram members and families. It doesn’t mean the 129,000 are going through the programme. The people going through the programme right now are about 800—in batches,” he explained.

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The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that 800 former Boko Haram fighters who surrendered to the military are currently undergoing deradicalisation as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.

Speaking on Channels TV Morning Brief on Monday, the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Emeka Onumajuru, revealed that while 129,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families had so far surrendered, only a select group had been chosen for rehabilitation.

To get the numbers right, right now, (we have) about 129,000 surrendered Boko Haram members and their families,” Onumajuru stated.

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READ ALSO: Boko Haram Kills Two In Fresh Chibok Raid

He explained that all surrendered individuals are subjected to legal scrutiny, with those found guilty facing prosecution, while others deemed fit for rehabilitation are placed in the deradicalisation programme.

“Some of them are in detention facilities, some of them are in Kainji, and there is a special court that goes through all of them. Those that were found culpable face the books, and those that are going to be deradicalised go through the process, which takes about a year,” he said.

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The military chief defended the feasibility of rehabilitating former insurgents within a year, noting that the programme is handled by professionals under Operation Safe Corridor, a non-kinetic approach to combating terrorism.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: FG Resumes Suspected Boko Haram Members Trial

“It’s possible because the deradicalisation is done by professionals. That one-year period is sufficient enough, depending on the people handling the deradicalisation,” Onumajuru asserted.

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He further clarified that not all surrendered fighters are automatically admitted into the programme.

“The number taken in is not huge. As I said, we have 129,000 Boko Haram members and families. It doesn’t mean the 129,000 are going through the programme. The people going through the programme right now are about 800—in batches,” he explained.

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Police Arrest Stolen Phone Tracker-altering Gang In Imo

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The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

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Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

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Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

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Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Gunmen Kill Policeman, Abduct Other In Imo

The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

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Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

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Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

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The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, John Chinagorom, who is said to have been on the Command’s wanted list.

A statement released on Saturday by the Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command.

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Ikenga said his arrest followed a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division on August 1, that the suspect, who is linked to a kidnapping case in Anambra, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its officers, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command, have arrested John Chinagorom ‘M’, a suspected kidnapper, who has been on the Command’s wanted list.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Two Cultists, Recover Ammunition In A’Ibom Hotel

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This follows a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division at noon of 1st August 2025, that the suspect, John Chinagorom, who is linked to a kidnapping Case reported on 15th April 2025, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

“Acting swiftly on the information, a team of Police detectives from the Division was dispatched, and they successfully apprehended the suspect at his hideout in Zaria, with the assistance of officers of the Kaduna State Police Command.

“The suspect is currently in custody and is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation.”

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READ ALSO:Policeman Rejects N800,000 Bribe To Free Robbery Suspect In A’Ibom

He urged the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the security situation in the state is under control as joint security patrols and other crime prevention operations are ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the general security situation across other parts of the State remains calm, as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

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“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he added.

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Police Arrest Two Cultists, Recover Ammunition In A’Ibom Hotel

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Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Command have arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm and ammunition during a raid in a brothel at Ikot-Udota in Iket Local Government Area of the state

The command’s Public Relations Officer DSP Timfon John, in a statement in Uyo on Saturday said the suspects were arrested on Thursday at 2:30 pm after intelligence revealed that some expelled students had formed a terror group and were engaging in a range of illicit activities—including extortion, rape, and cybercrime.

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She said the suspects one Uwemedimo Michael Udah, 29, from Uyo Local Government Area and Prince Emmanuel Amasi-Tito, 32, from Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State were arrested during the raid.

READ ALSO:Policeman Rejects N800,000 Bribe To Free Robbery Suspect In A’Ibom

According to The PUNCH, Items recovered by the suspects include the following one English Beretta pistol with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition. One laptop, two Android phones. An MTN internet router, a cocktail of suspected drug concoctions and three copies of a power-of-attorney suspected to be stolen

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The statement reads in part, ”On Thursday, July 31, 2025, at approximately 2:30pm, operatives of the command successfully arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm, ammunition, and other items during a raid on a hotel in Ikot-Udota, Eket LGA.

”The command was acting on credible intelligence which indicated that expelled students and dropouts from a certain institution (name withheld) had formed criminal gangs and were engaging in a range of illicit activities—including extortion, rape, and cybercrime.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Suspected Stolen Goods Dealer In Akwa Ibom, Recover Items

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”When operatives raided a hotel (name withheld), the operation led to the arrest of two suspects namely: Uwemedimo Michael Udah, 29, from Uyo Local Government Area. Prince Emmanuel Amasi-Tito, 32, from Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State.”

John said preliminary investigation has revealed that the gang is led by two individuals, one Etieno Gideon James and another suspect known only as “Ale,” who are currently at large.

Attributing the successful operation to the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the community, she said efforts are being intensified to arrest others who are at large.

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