76 ISWAP Fighters, Senior Commanders Surrender to Troops in North-East, Military Says

The military says 76 suspected ISWAP fighters, including senior commanders, have surrendered to troops in Nigeria's North-East following sustained counter-insurgency operations by the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai.

The latest surrender, announced on Saturday, comes as the military intensifies operations aimed at dismantling the terrorist group's remaining strongholds across the region.

In a statement, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the insurgents abandoned their enclaves after sustained military pressure disrupted their operations and command structure.

According to him, the group includes key members of the terrorist network who voluntarily surrendered alongside some of their family members.

"The development highlights the devastating impact of the sustained offensive by Operation HADIN KAI, which continues to dismantle terrorist strongholds, disrupt command and logistics structures and deny the insurgents freedom of action across the theatre," Goni said.

He added that persistent military operations had significantly weakened the group's combat capability and morale.

"Within the last week alone, a total of 76 terrorist foot soldiers with some families surrendered to troops," the statement said.

The military disclosed that the surrendered individuals have been moved to a secure location, where they are undergoing profiling, debriefing and other procedures in line with established operational protocols.

According to the military, the latest development reflects the effectiveness of its counter-terrorism strategy, which combines ground offensives, intelligence-led operations and joint efforts with security partners.

Operation Hadin Kai said it remains committed to sustaining pressure on insurgent groups until they are completely defeated or compelled to surrender.

"The pressure on the remaining terrorist elements will continue unabated until they are completely neutralised or forced to surrender," Goni added.

The military has, in recent months, reported several waves of surrenders by suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP members as troops continue clearance operations across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

However, independent verification of the identities and roles of those who surrender is often not immediately available, while security agencies continue profiling and investigations.