Boko Haram: Army recovers foodstuff, sex drugs from suppliers

Nigerian Army troops have arrested two men suspected of providing fighters of terrorist group, Boko Haram, with supplies.

Combined troops of 195 Battalion, Sector 1 Operation Hadin Kai, and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) arrested the duo during a clearance operation within Muna general area of Borno State on Saturday, July 3, 2021.

The troops recovered large quantity of psychedelic and sex enhancement drugs, pesticides and insecticides, as well as food stuff, from the suspects, according to an official statement.

Other items recovered include one hand grenade, one axe, one vehicle, five bicycles, two mobile phones, and some quantity of petroleum, oil, and lubricant.

The two are believed to have been on a mission to replenish supplies for terrorists when they were captured on Saturday.

Suspected Boko Haram suppliers arrested by Nigerian Army troops [Nigerian Army] Pulse Nigeria

Troops also intercepted some terrorists fleeing Labe village during the clearance operation, but Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, was not clear on if they they arrested or killed.

"The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya has commended the alertness of the troops, urging them to sustain the aggressive posture of the operation, to ensure they clear terrorists' enclaves and dominate the general area," he said.

Boko Haram has terrorised the north east region since 2009 and displaced millions of people from their communities, with their activities spreading to communities in neighbouring countries.

The death toll directly linked to the group's violence has been estimated to be around 35,000, but the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a recent report that the total death toll is 10 times higher.

"We estimate that through the end of 2020, the conflict will have resulted in nearly 350,000 deaths, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes," the report noted.

A significant amount of the casualties were recorded in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, with children younger than five years old being the hardest hit.

During a visit to Borno last month, President Muhammadu Buhari admitted that the anti-terror war is not over, years after he claimed Boko Haram was 'technically defeated'.