Exhausted ISWAP Members Surrender to Troops in Borno

Nigerian military forces in Damasak, Borno State, have taken custody of three individuals believed to be Boko Haram/ISWAP combatants who voluntarily gave themselves up. Their decision was reportedly driven by severe exhaustion and the relentless aerial and ground assaults on their hideouts.

The surrender took place on July 28, approximately at 4:50 p.m., to soldiers from Headquarters 5 Brigade within Damasak, as part of the ongoing Operation Hadin Kai counter-insurgency campaign. Those who surrendered were identified as Abba Musa Dogo, aged 24; Abubakar Bargaji, aged 28; and Ibrahim Abubakar, aged 16.

Initial questioning indicated their escape from terrorist strongholds located in Sabon Gari and Tunbun Mota, areas reportedly under the command of ISWAP figures Abu Fatima and Abu Ayuba. Security expert Zagazola Makana corroborated that the individuals cited profound weariness and the continuous bombardment of their positions by Nigerian troops—both from the air and on the ground—as the primary reasons for their capitulation, making continued existence extremely challenging.

Furthermore, the suspects revealed their training as operators of gunboats and anti-aircraft weaponry, intended for deployment in the Lake Chad region. They also admitted that weapons were strictly distributed only preceding specific operations and were promptly collected by their commanders post-mission, suggesting a stringent system for arms control within the terror organization.

All three individuals conveyed their desire to abandon the path of insurgency and embrace a peaceful existence. Presently, they remain in military detention, undergoing comprehensive profiling and further investigations according to standard protocols. This recent submission contributes to an increasing trend of insurgents laying down arms, a direct consequence of the sustained military pressure on terrorist strongholds throughout the Lake Chad basin under Operation Hadin Kai.