The Nigerian Army yesterday said combined troops of 26 Task Force Brigade, 21 Special Armoured Brigade and elements of Civilian Joint Task Force, acting on intelligence, conducted a sting operation against some Boko Haram criminals hibernating around Pulka general area of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday.

Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement, said the operation led to the arrest of 16 active Boko Haram members.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that some of the arrested suspects participated in the attack on Pulka and Gwoza, including the execution of some police personnel sometime ago.

He said two of the arrested insurgents, Lawan Abubakar Umar Garliga and Bayaga Manye, had been on the Nigerian Army most wanted Boko Haram list earlier published on Serials 41 and 90.

The suspects, who were Boko Haram logistics suppliers, included Alhaji Umaru, Goni Agwala, Momodu Shetene, Hassan Audu, Usman Manye, Ali Lawan, Modu Mallum, Modu Abubakar Jugudum, Bulama Ali, Umar Usman, Mustapha Alhaji Mele, Abor Lassan, Mallum Ari and Mala Bala.