More than 150 terrorists, including commanders, fighters and affiliates, have surrendered to troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, within the past week, the military has said.
The development represents a sharp increase from the more than 50 terrorists who surrendered during the preceding week, according to the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni.
Goni disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, attributing the surge in surrenders to sustained intelligence-led operations, intensified military pressure and a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
He said the operations were increasingly restricting the terrorists’ freedom of movement, disrupting their logistics and supply chains and making it more difficult for them to retain fighters in their enclaves.
“The significant increase reflects the cumulative impact of sustained intelligence-led operations, intensified military pressure and coordinated kinetic and non-kinetic efforts aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and encouraging voluntary disengagement from terrorism,” Goni said.
According to the military, some of those who surrendered also handed over weapons and ammunition, which it said further demonstrated the impact of ongoing operations against terrorist networks in the region.
Operation Hadin Kai has continued to combine intelligence-driven military operations with strategic communication, civil-military engagement and other non-kinetic measures aimed at weakening terrorist support structures and encouraging members of the groups to abandon the insurgency.
Goni said strategic communication remained an important component of the military’s campaign, particularly in reaching individuals willing to renounce terrorism and informing them of the consequences of continued association with terrorist organisations.
He added that all those who surrendered had been profiled and documented and were being handled in accordance with established procedures and applicable laws.
The military said the growing number of defections indicated increasing pressure within terrorist formations, particularly over their ability to move freely, obtain supplies and sustain their personnel.
The North-East has remained the main theatre of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign, with troops continuing operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The theatre command said it would maintain the current operational momentum to encourage further surrenders and weaken terrorist recruitment and sustainment networks.
Goni commended troops for their resilience and discipline, urging them to remain focused in their efforts to disrupt terrorist activities and restore peace and normalcy across the North-East.
The latest development comes as the Nigerian military continues to use a combination of offensive operations and measures encouraging terrorist fighters and affiliates to surrender as part of its broader counter-insurgency strategy.
