A senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province has surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State, in what the Nigerian Army described as another major success in its counter insurgency operations in the North East.
The Army, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the insurgent surrendered to troops of the 3 Battalion under the 24 Task Force Brigade at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25 along the Ladari, Jegarawa and Tunokalia axis of the Gamboru Wulgo Main Supply Route in Borno State.
The Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Mohammed Goni, said the latest surrender followed sustained land and air offensives against terrorist enclaves across the region.
According to him, preliminary profiling identified the suspect as the chief finance operative of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he coordinated the group’s financial activities and logistics.
Goni disclosed that the suspect surrendered alongside two male children.
He added that the development came amid a growing wave of defections by insurgents, noting that about 46 terrorists and their family members had voluntarily surrendered to troops in recent days.
The Army said troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a motorcycle and ₦40,000 from the surrendered suspect.
Goni said the suspect was undergoing profiling and interrogation to obtain intelligence that would support ongoing military operations and aid efforts to track down other members of the terrorist group.
He described the surrender as a major setback for ISWAP, saying it underscored the weakening of the group’s command structure, operational capability and logistics network due to sustained military offensives.
The Army spokesman added that the increasing number of surrenders reflected growing disillusionment among members of the terrorist group and a steady rise in defections from insurgent camps.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Operation Hadin Kai to restoring lasting peace and security across the North East and urged remaining insurgents to embrace the Federal Government’s non kinetic initiatives by laying down their arms.
Goni also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to strengthen ongoing counter terrorism operations.