By Kamsi Anayo
The Defence Headquarters has declared no fewer than 97 persons wanted for violent crimes in Nigeria.
The wanted persons include terrorists and insurgents, among others, for masterminding and perpetrating violent crimes in the country.
The list include a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba confirmed the names and pictures of the people they declared wanted.
It was learnt last week that the military high command was planning to declare some terrorists wanted.
Unlike in November 2022, when the military declared no fewer than 19 bandit leaders wanted with a bounty of N5m on each of them to encourage Nigerians to volunteer information that could lead to their arrest, this time around, no bounty was placed on the 97 persons declared wanted.
The names and pictures contained terrorists from the North East and North West as well as insurgents in the South-East and North Central.
A total of 21 insurgents and violent criminals were declared wanted in the South-East and North Central Area.
They are Flavour; Simon Ekpa; Chika Edoziem; Egede; Zuma ; ThankGod; Gentle; Mathew; David Ndubuisi ; High Chief Williams Agbor; Ebuka Nwaka; Friday Ojimka; Obiemesi Chukwudi aka Dan Chuk ; David Ezekwem Chidiebube and Amobi Chinonso Okafor aka Temple among others .
A total of 43 persons were declared wanted in North West Zone ravaged by banditry, among which are:
Alhaji Shingi; Malindi Yakubu; Boka ; Dogo Gide; Halilu Sububu; Ado Aliero ; Bello Turji; Dan Bokkolo; Labi Yadi ; Nagala; Saidu Idris; Kachalla Rugga and Sani Gurgu.
In the North East ravaged by Boko Haram and Islamic State for West Africa Province terrorists, 33 persons were declared wanted.
Some of them are Abu Zaida; Modu Sulum; Baba Data; Ahmad; Sani Teacher; Baa Sadiq; Abdul Saad; Kaka Abi; Mohammad Khalifa; Umar Tella; Abu Mutahid; Mallam Mohammad; Mallam Tahiru Baga; Uzaiya and Ali Ngule.