Top ISWAP Commanders, 76 Fighters Surrender In North-East

A fresh group of senior Islamic State West Africa Province members and 76 foot soldiers have surrendered to Nigerian troops in the North-East theatre, according to reports by Vanguard and Channels TV.

Vanguard reported that the surrender followed sustained offensives by troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI. The outlet said the Acting Media Information Officer of the headquarters, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Monday in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The military did not disclose the identities of the surrendered commanders or the exact locations where they turned themselves in, citing security reasons. Vanguard reported that the surrendered members had been moved to a secure location for profiling, debriefing and other procedures under existing operational protocols.

Channels TV also reported that more than 76 ISWAP terrorists abandoned their enclaves and surrendered within the North-East theatre of operations. It said some members of the terrorist network were among those who surrendered after continued military pressure.

According to the military statement cited by both outlets, the latest surrender came as Operation HADIN KAI continues operations aimed at dismantling terrorist strongholds, disrupting command and logistics structures, and limiting insurgents’ freedom of movement across the theatre.

Vanguard reported that 76 terrorist foot soldiers, along with some family members, surrendered to troops within the last week. The report said military authorities believe the development shows that recent counter-terrorism operations have weakened the group’s combat capacity and morale.

Goni said Operation HADIN KAI would continue to put pressure on remaining terrorist elements until they are neutralised or forced to surrender.

The development comes as the military continues counter-insurgency operations across the North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP factions have remained active despite repeated offensives and surrender programmes.

Sources: Vanguard; Channels TV