10 Boko Haram fighters ‘surrender to troops’ in Borno

Ten suspected Boko Haram members have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian Army in Borno, military sources have told TheCable.

Apart from the 10 male insurgents who surrendered, five children were also said to have surrendered to the troops.

Sources said the insurgents came out from their enclaves around Jango village and Mandara Mountain in Gwoza.

The insurgents were said to have surrendered to troops of the army’s 151 battalion in Banki, Bama LGA on Sunday.

TheCable understands that the insurgents who surrendered were part of those loyal to Bakura Salaba, a factional leader of Boko Haram who was recently killed.

Sources said the insurgents dropped their arms owing to sustained aerial bombardment and aggressive intensive clearance operation by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

According to one of the sources, “two AK 47 riffles, one G3 riffle 1 X FN riffle, 1 X PKT gun, 120 Rounds of 7.62MM Nato, 31 RDS X 7.62MM special, 3 AK 47 extra magazines, 3 X G3 extra magazines, 1, 36 HG, 2, knives and the sum of N600,000 was handed over to the troops by the insurgents”.

TheCable understands that the suspects and their family members would receive medical care at a military medical facility, after which they would undergo profiling and investigation.

Since 2018, hundreds of the insurgents have surrendered to the troops.

In August 2021, top Boko Haram commanders surrendered and asked Nigerians to forgive them.

Christopher Musa, theatre commander of Operation Hadin Kai, said 11,349 Boko Haram fighters, 15,289 women and 24,163 children have surrendered to the troops.