Notorious ISWAP Finance Kingpin Defects to Nigerian Troops in Borno

In a significant development, a high-ranking finance officer of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Musa Usman, has defected to the Nigerian military in Borno State. This move is seen as a major blow to the terrorist group's financial and logistical capabilities. According to Captain Mohammed Goni, the Acting Military Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, the defector surrendered to troops of the 24 Task Force Brigade along the Ladari–Jegarawa–Tunokalia corridor on the Gamboru–Wulgo Main Supply Route. The surrender occurred at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25, 2026, and was facilitated by intelligence gathered by the military. Musa Usman, who was accompanied by his two sons, Abubakar Musa, 10, and Awwali Musa, 15, was a key figure in ISWAP's financial operations, overseeing the group's resource management and logistics at the Jubillaram enclave. Items recovered from him include one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a motorcycle, and N40,000 in cash. The military has described the surrender as a significant operational breakthrough, underscoring the impact of ongoing kinetic and intelligence-driven operations against terrorist strongholds in the North East. The development comes amid a growing trend of terrorist surrenders, with approximately 46 terrorists and their family members having voluntarily surrendered to troops in recent days. The Theatre Command has called on all remaining terrorists to take advantage of the Federal Government's non-kinetic initiatives and surrender before it is too late. The Command has also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies by providing timely and credible information to enhance ongoing counter-terrorism operations.