A Federal High Court in Borno has ordered the release of 313 suspected terrorists arrested by the military.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward said this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to nail the suspects after investigation.
“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.
“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday released 230 suspected Boko Haram terrorists made up of two hundred and nineteen males and eleven females after profiling them.
The Guardian gathered that the suspected Boko Haram members are made up of 219 males and 11 females after profiling them.
A source within the military disclosed that the suspects were cleared after it was established that they are not terrorists but were conscripted against their will.
President Bola Tinubu has vowed that his administration will rid Nigeria of all criminal elements and their sponsors.
Last week, the Nigerian government has identified 15 entities including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and companies suspected to be involved in the funding of terrorism in the country.
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in an email to Punch disclosed information about the suspects in a report titled “Identification of Persons and Organizations as of March 18, 2024” after the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) convened.
Notable mentions include Tukur Mamu who has been accused of financing the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and others linked to terrorist groups such as Boko Hàram and Ansarul MusIimina Fi BiIadissudam.
Apart from Mamu, the document also revealed Yusuf Ghazali, Muhammad Sani, Abubakar Muhammad, Sallamudeen Hassan, Adamu Ishak, Hassana-Oyiza Isah, Abdulkareem Musa and Umar Abdullahi.
The six BDCs and firms listed in terrorism funding in Nigeria include West and East Africa General Trading Company Limited, Settings Bureau De Change Ltd, G. Side General Enterprises, Desert Exchange Ventures Limited, Eagle Square General Trading Company Limited and Alfa Exchange BDC.
The Military recently also declared the factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been declared wanted for terrorism.
The military released Ekpa’s name on its red list of wanted individuals, along with the names of 96 other individuals nationwide, on Friday.
Others on the list are Alhaji Shingi; Malindi Yakubu; Boka; Dogo Gide; Halilu Sububu; Ado Aliero; Bello Turji; Dan Bokkolo; Labi Yadi; Nagala; Saidu Idris; Kachalla Rugga; and Sani Gurgu.
