No fewer than 17 persons linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, including terrorist family members and a suspected fighter, have surrendered to Nigerian Army troops in different parts of Borno State.
According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, the surrenders occurred between September 19 and 25 across Dikwa, Bama and Ngala Local Government Areas.
The first incident occurred on September 19 when a woman identified as a terrorist family member surrendered herself and two children to troops of the 24 Task Force Brigade at Check Point 1 along the Dikwa-Ajiri road in Dikwa LGA.
On September 21, another woman and her child surrendered at the same checkpoint after reportedly escaping from the Yaganari terrorist enclave to Gonori village in Mafa LGA following factional clashes.
She reportedly disclosed that her husband, Bakura Modu, was an ISWAP fighter.
Later that day, three more terrorist family members surrendered to troops of 151 Battalion at Bula Daloye in Bama LGA.
On September 24, a suspected terrorist surrendered to troops of 24 Task Force Brigade at the Dikwa-Ajiri checkpoint after reportedly escaping from a camp in Gargash.
Also on September 24, seven terrorist family members surrendered to troops of 3 Battalion, Mechanised, at the Arabic IDP Camp in Ngala.
The latest incident occurred on September 25 when a woman and her son surrendered to troops in Bama.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the woman had escaped from a terrorist camp in Bula Daloye following internal disagreements and hardship within the enclave.
She reportedly identified herself as a native of Bula Daloye and disclosed that she was married to a terrorist fighter identified as Ibrahim Usman.
“The woman and her son remain in military custody pending further investigation,” the report stated.
The series of surrenders occurred amid reported factional clashes and internal disagreements within some terrorist enclaves in Borno.
17 ISWAP-linked persons surrender to troops amid factional clashes, hardship in Borno