Army: 1,050 Boko Haram fighters have surrendered

The Nigerian army says 1,050 insurgents have surrendered to troops in the Lake Chad and Monguno area of Borno state.

Onyema Nwachukwu, deputy director, army public relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

He also urged communities to watch out for fleeing Boko Haram insurgents as their enclaves in the Lake Chad basin has come under “intense” onslaught.

Nwachukwu disclosed that 250 fighters of the Al Barnawi-led faction of the insurgents had earlier surrendered to the Nigerian army following artillery and aerial bombardments by troops on their hideouts in the basin.

He added that 700 insurgents also surrendered to troops at Monguno, Borno state, in an ongoing clearance operation, while many of the insurgents who escaped, surrendered to Niger Defence forces.

He said some of the insurgents fleeing from the ongoing offensive were senior and junior commanders of the Al Barnawi faction.

He said: “The insurgents are attempting to melt into communities in and around Kano, Geidam and Gashua axis unnoticed. One of such fleeing commanders is Bana Bafui.

“Members of the general public, particularly in Kano, Geidam, Gashua, Hadejia and northern part of Jigawa State are therefore enjoined to be vigilant, watch out for strange faces in their communities and report same to security agencies.”

Nwachukwu called on the insurgents to surrender as the federal government has provided a window through the “Operation Safe Corridor” to encourage the insurgents’ voluntary surrender.

He revealed that about 300 insurgents were currently undergoing de-radicalisation process for possible integration into the society.