Nigerian troops acting on a tip-off yesterday dismantled Boko Haram’s siege on Ejilije, Bulagaije-lari, Bulagaije-Adamde and Ajiri villages of Borno State, freeing 210 hapless citizens held captive by the terrorists.

Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, said this morning: “The terrorists fled the areas before the arrival of the soldiers. The team found and rescued 210 persons, comprising of mostly elderly men, women and children who have been safely evacuated to an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.

“The rescued persons said that they were brought there by the terrorists from various villages to be used as human shield in case if advancing troops of the Nigerian Army came to attack the Boko Haram terrorists.”

Col. Usman said in a statement that arrived shortly after midnight that the troops also recovered 1 Machine Gun barrel, 4 loaded magazines of G3 rifles, 4 Dane guns and some quantities of 7.62mm ammunitions, as well as empty canisters of Mortar bombs and a bandoleer.

He said that in a related development, in an encounter with Boko Haram terrorists, advancing troops of Nigerian Army at Furkati village, Geidam Local Government Area, yesterday killed five Boko Haram terrorists and recovered 4 AK-47 rifles.

“The gallant soldiers have continued their advance, raids and patrols to further deny the Boko Haram terrorists freedom of action,” the Army Spokesman said.

•Photo shows some of the children rescued by troops.