ISWAP founder’s son ‘surrenders’ to NSCDC in Borno

Mahmud Albarnawy, the eldest son of the founder of the Islamic States of West African Province (ISWAP), has reportedly surrendered to operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said Mahmud surrendered to the security operatives on May 12.

Intelligent sources told Makama that 22-year-old Mahmud was confirmed to be the son of Maman Nur, founder of the ISWAP, after he was profiled at the NSCDC headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno capital.

The publication said an uncle of Mahmud in Gamboru Ngala encouraged him to surrender after he received information about his readiness to abandon the group.

“A reliable agent was sent to convey him to Maiduguri. They arrived in Maiduguri on May 11 at about 1 pm,” the publication said.

“Mahmud was later debriefed and profiled by an intelligence officer of the command, where he confessed to having sneaked out of the Ali Ngulde camp in Mandara Mountain, Gwoza LGA, into Maiduguri and stayed for about a month at Gwange in the city capital before relocating to Gamboru Ngala without any alarm or distress signs from communities.

“During his stay in Gamboru Ngala, some of his late father’s loyalists were persuading him to return to the Lake Chad general area to pay allegiance to ISWAP, but he refused, citing the betrayal and eventual execution of his late father.”

Makama said Mahmud confessed to having been involved in attacks launched at Bama, Banki, Gwoza, and many other areas in Borno.

The publication said the terrorist who surrendered used to work as a middle-rank fighter under the Boko Haram group.

The publication added that he had been handed over to the Bulunkutu rehabilitation facility for further documentation and custody.