BEVERLY HILLS, February 03, (THEWILL) – Mrs. Rabi Abu-Yasir, wife of Boko Haram’s Chief Physician, has surrendered to the military on Operation Lafiya Dole which is currently on clearance operation to route out remnants of the insurgents.
This was disclosed by Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, while handing over 82 women and children rescued from the insurgents’ captivity, to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in Maiduguri.
NAN reports that Rabi told newsmen that her husband was the medical doctor to the insurgents’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, revealing that she was rescued on Friday after the troops dislodged the insurgents’ enclaves in Sambisa Forest.
Recounting her ordeal, Rabi said that unlike her peers, she enjoyed preferential treatment and privileges in view of her position as a wife to the physician.
“My husband, Abu-Yasir, is Shekau’s physician, he also treat patients and conduct surgical operation,” she stated.
“My type of food and other consumables are better from what they gave out to other women and children in the camps.
“We suffered in their hands and they warned us that Nigerian troops will kill anybody who surrenders to them.
“They always told us to stay with them and encouraged us not to submit to the troops.
“The military are taking care of us, as against the wrong notion the insurgents made us to believe.”
Rabi lauded the military for the rescue operation and called on the abducted persons still in the bush to come out and surrender to the troops.
Nicholas explained that Rabi was among the 84 civilians rescued by the troops adding that eight of the 84 rescued persons were currently receiving treatment at the Nigerian Air Force Medical facility in Maiduguri.
He said that the abductees were rescued after troops dislodged and occupied Shekau’s group operational headquarters deep in Sambisa Forest adding that the troops destroyed insurgents’ hideouts, vehicles and ammunition, while hundreds of insurgents surrendered and over 100 civilians rescued.
According to him, the command would profile the rescued persons for rehabilitation and de-radicalisation for reintegration into the society.
“I call on those still in the bush to come out; we are not killing anybody, we are here to rescue and assist you,” he said.
About the Author
