Three suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Damasak, Borno State, saying sustained military offensives forced them to abandon the insurgent group.
The development was reported by security analyst Zagazola Makama.
According to the report, the suspects surrendered to troops of Headquarters 5 Brigade at about 4:50 p.m. on July 28 during ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Damasak.
Makama identified the surrendered suspects as Abba Musa Dogo, 24; Abubakar Bargaji, 28; and Ibrahim Abubakar, 16.
The report stated that preliminary interrogation revealed the trio fled terrorist camps at Sabon Gari and Tunbun Mota, allegedly controlled by ISWAP commanders Abu Fatima and Abu Ayuba.
According to the report, the suspects told troops they abandoned the camps after continuous aerial and ground bombardments by the Nigerian military made survival increasingly difficult.
“They attributed their decision to surrender to fatigue and the sustained aerial and ground bombardment of their enclaves by Nigerian troops, which they said had made survival increasingly difficult,” the report stated.
Makama further reported that the suspects disclosed they were trained as gunboat operators and anti-aircraft gunners for operations around the Lake Chad region.
The report added that they claimed weapons were issued to them only before specific operations and retrieved immediately afterward by their commanders, indicating what they described as a tightly controlled weapons management system within the terrorist group.
According to the report, the three suspects are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and investigation after expressing readiness to renounce insurgency and embrace peace.
Military bombardment forces 3 ISWAP fighters to surrender in Borno