Army releases 983 suspects cleared of alleged links with Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army has released 983 suspects cleared of alleged links with Boko Haram terrorists.

The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniy, handed over the detainees to the Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara-Zulum in a ceremony in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

Adeniyi said the release is sequel to months of investigation in which the over 900 out of those detained at the military detention centre were found to be innocent.

Governor Zulum in response applauded the military for the release and assured that all is set to receive rehabilitation of the former detainees before reuniting them with their families.

The The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently published that 22,000 persons have disappeared since 2009 with their whereabouts unaccounted for in crisis ravaged north east Nigeria.

According to ICRC the figure of the missing persons is the highest number of missing persons registered with the organisation in any country.

The Red Cross said that some families were often separated while fleeing attacks, while others have had loved ones abducted or detained and do not know their whereabouts.

Some of the missing persons are believed to be in the custody of the Nigeria Army, following raids over suspicion of allegiance to Boko Haram.