The Nigerian army spokesman has said that at least 120 Boko Haram militants have been arrested in north-eastern city of Maiduguri.

President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the deployment of Some 2,000 soldiers to 3 northern states last week amid declaring state of emergency in those states.

The military said last week that it had carried out air strikes and destroying militants’ bases in Sambisa game reserve, south of Maiduguri, and elsewhere in the north of the country.

The army said yesterday in a statement that it has inflicted heavy casualties on the militants on Sunday but lost 3 of its troops in the fighting. The army said it was able to verify 13 of the dead militants as many were carried away in trucks by those who survived.

The military also said it recaptured five areas from the militants in which some were canopy forest where the militants use as their hub to perpetuate their activities.

The military spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement on Monday that militants fleeing towards neighboring Chad and Niger are being taken care of by the military.

“Advancing troops also observed a few shallow graves believed to be those of hurriedly buried members of the terrorist groups killed in the fighting, but those who fled were confronted by the army” he said.

General Olukolade further said that the 120 militants who were arrested were being interrogated in custody bringing to a total number of more than 200 the number of militants the army says it has arrested since its offensive against the militants last week.

The militants were seized as they were preparing for the funeral of a commander killed in a battle with government troops on Monday.

The army also added it had secured five towns and villages in remote parts of Borno state after destroying all the terrorists’ camps in the area.

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry has urged the Nigerian army to show restraint in fighting the militants so as to avoid violation of civilians’ rights.

Last November, Amnesty International accused Nigeria’s security forces of carrying out widespread abuses in their campaign against Boko Haram, including extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture.

Boko Haram is believed to have carried out a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009, saying it wants to establish an Islamic state across Nigeria.

Local reporters say some 2,000 people have fled to neighboring Niger, while more have crossed into Cameroon, since the army launched its offensive in the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe last week.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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