Military Pressure Forces Top ISWAP Commanders to Surrender as 76 Terrorists Lay Down Arms

Military Pressure Forces Top ISWAP Commanders to Surrender as 76 Terrorists Lay Down Arms

By Auwal Ahmad

Fresh military offensives against insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East have forced several senior commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to surrender as troops intensify operations across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The development comes amid sustained counter-terrorism operations by Operation HADIN KAI in the Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region, where troops have continued to dismantle terrorist enclaves and disrupt the activities of insurgent groups.

In a statement issued on Monday in Maiduguri, the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the recent wave of surrenders was the result of relentless military pressure backed by credible intelligence.

He disclosed that a fresh batch of high-ranking ISWAP commanders abandoned their hideouts and voluntarily surrendered to troops operating within the theatre.

“The troops of Operation HADIN KAI have continued to record significant operational successes in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists through sustained operations backed by credible, timely and actionable intelligence,” Goni said.

According to him, the surrendered commanders, regarded as key figures within the terrorist network, are currently in a secure military facility undergoing profiling, debriefing and other procedures in line with established operational protocols.

The military said the latest defections underscore the growing impact of its sustained offensive, which has weakened terrorist command structures, disrupted logistics networks and restricted the movement of insurgents across the North-East.

Captain Goni added that the continuous operations have not only degraded the combat capability of the terrorist groups but have also eroded confidence among their fighters and leadership.

He revealed that within the past week alone, 76 terrorist foot soldiers, alongside some members of their families, surrendered to military troops.

The military attributed the growing number of defections to its comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy, which combines precision combat operations, intelligence-driven missions and coordinated efforts among security agencies.

“These operational gains demonstrate the effectiveness of the Nigerian military’s comprehensive counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency strategy, combining precision combat operations, intelligence-led engagements and coordinated joint efforts with partners,” the statement said.

The military reaffirmed that Operation HADIN KAI remains committed to eliminating terrorism in the North-East, stressing that pressure on the remaining insurgents would continue until they are either neutralised or compelled to surrender.

The latest breakthrough provides another boost to ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace and stability across the region after years of insurgency.