The Nigerian Army on Saturday freed 348 suspected Boko Haram members as a gesture to celebrate the country’s 56th Independence anniversary.
The detainees included 114 male, 107 female and 127 children.
They were handed over to the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, at the Ramat Square, Maiduguri by the acting General Officer Commanding, the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Victor Ezegwu.
Ezegwu explained that the suspects were arrested at various camps and havens of the insurgents in Borno State.
He said they were investigated and found to be innocent of involvement in insurgency.
He also said 115 out of the 127 children among the suspected insurgents were between the ages of five and 10, while 12 of them were 11 years and above.
He however, said some suspects, including six foreigners who illegally entered Nigeria, would be prosecuted.
He added that the suspected insurgents had been handed over to the Police and the Department of State Services.
He said the foreigners comprised of four Cameroonians, a Chadian and a Jamaican, who would be separately handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for deportation.
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