Eight of the terrorists who participated in the coordinated attacks that claimed scores of lives in Yobe and Borno over last weekend have been captured by Nigerian troops enforcing the emergency rule imposed on parts of the country’s troubled North-Eastern region. They were “apprehended at the outskirt of Maiduguri,” said Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade.

The Defence spokesman said in a statement issued in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, said there was no cause for worry, dismissing the attacks as “a typical end-game strategy often employed by insurgents all over the world.” His words:

“The Defence Headquarters has noted a number of attacks and killing of innocent citizens ostensibly carried out by terrorists in Yobe and Borno States in the last couple of days.

“Although this isolated incidents were undertaken by relocating terrorists, the whole trend and development remains unfortunate and condemnable. Nevertheless, the public is hereby reassured that these incidences are by no means indicative of a relapse in the counter-insurgency operation aimed at curbing terrorists’ activities in the country.

“Rather, this trend of sneaking in to carry out isolated attack on soft targets as a way of seeking attention, is a typical end-game strategy often employed by insurgents all over the world. In this instance, the recent activities are signs of desperation of a decimated insurgent group attempting to hang on to public consciousness. With the destruction of their operational bases and camps by the Special Forces, the group’s centre of gravity has been effectively dislocated making it impossible for them to have freedom of action to operate as they did previously.

“Notwithstanding, the Special Forces have stepped up the mop up, cordon and search operations to ensure that the vestiges of terrorism are effectively further decimated in those states. 8 of the terrorists who perpetrated the mayhem during the weekend have been apprehended at the outskirt of Maiduguri.

“The Defence Headquarters therefore urge members of the public to continue to report any suspicious movement to security agents.”

•Photo shows terrorist kingpin Ibrahim Shekau (centre), who remains at large, with some of his lieutenants.