About 1,500 commanders and members of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian Army in Mafa, Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by Brigadier General, Director Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, on Monday, the development which occurred on Saturday follows the recent escalation of offensive operations coupled with non-kinetic efforts by Nigerian Army troops of the operation HADIN KAI (OPHK).
Chief Bomb Expert of the terrorist group known as Musa Adamu a.k.a Mala Musa Abuja and his second in command, Usman Adamu a.k.a Abu Darda along with their families and followers, all totalling 335 fighters, 746 adult women and children including one of the abducted Chibok girls were among those who surrendered to the troops in Bama Local Government Area of the state.
They were seen carrying placards, kicking against terrorism and appealing to Nigerians to forgive them.
A video clip https://youtu.be/hhMKMqC_mD8 obtained on social media showed a mass of the repentant terrorists, their family members comprising women and children, filing out (in a straight line) from dense vegetation, not identified.
The returnees, then proceeded to surrender to troops at Mafa, it was further learnt.
Some former top commanders of the terrorist groups, including Adamu Rugurugu, and their family members have so far surrendered to the Nigerian military at various designated locations in Borno State.
Some of the terrorists surrendered with their families at Bama, Mafa and Gwoza axes this weekend.
The massive campaign jingles sponsored by the Nigerian military in both Kanuri and Hausa languages, in recent times, have also helped to coerced many insurgents to quit terrorism and lay down their arms.
A top military intelligence source confirmed that the terrorists are leaving their camps to surrender because of aggressive advocacy by Islamic scholars and family members.
He said about 2000 more terrorists are expected to surrender at the Lake Chad axis due to advocacy campaigns and the psychological military operation.
“Most of them, who surrendered in the last few days are renouncing their membership of Boko Haram and ISWAP because of campaign jingles, advocacy by religious scholars and engagement with their family members and friends which have been enlightening on the need to jettison their barbaric activities.
“We are expecting about 2,000 more from the Lake Chad axis… In fact, most of them were either forcefully conscripted or brainwashed in joining the terrorists during the heat of Boko Haram terrorism. They have also surrendered a lot of weapons and are cooperating with our team in designated locations,” the intelligence operative concluded.
The acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 OPHK Brigadier General Abdulwahab Adelokun Eyitayo, was also present at the Headquarters 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama on Saturday to receive them.
He commended their decision to drop their arms and urged them to also encourage their brothers and colleagues in the forests to come out and embrace the new life of peace and rehabilitation.
General Eyitayo who spoke through an interpreter further said they will undergo some rehabilitation at a government facility before their reintegration into the larger society.
In the meantime, new clothes, food items, groceries, and toiletries were distributed to them.
With banditry now on the increase, the Nigerian military has resolved to intensify both its kinetic and non-kinetic approach towards the ongoing fight against insurgency and particularly leverage the knowledge of Musa Adamu and Usman Adamu to achieve both short and long-term counter-insurgency gains in the North East.
The subject of amnesty has been met with controversy as many believe that granting pardons to the insurgents could compromise the country’s security architecture.
Watch video of the surrender : https://youtu.be/hhMKMqC_mD8
