A top fighter (name withheld) of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West
Africa Province (ISWAP); has surrendered to Multinational Joint Task
Force (MNJTF), while conducting artillery and air interdiction in Lake
Chad Basin.
The counter-insurgency operations; were executed in conjunction with
national Armed Forces of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in Lake
Chad region.
Spokesman of task force, Col. Timothy Antigha in a statement Sunday in
Maiduguri disclosed: “The strategic partners have continued to yield
positive results in the ongoing war against terrorism with surrender
of Jihadists top war commander in region.”
He said the surrendered commander, abandoned his group, including arms
and escaped along with his wife and children.
“We cannot disclose the location or area of surrender for security
reasons,” he warned.
He said with the surrender of top fighter; turned a defector, has
voluntarily denounced ISWAP/Boko Haram to troops of MNJTF.
He said that the surrendered terrorist had joined ISWAP / Boko Haram
in 2015 and took part in terrorist operations in Arege, Kangarwa,
Metele and Mallam Fatori.
On what informed him to defector and surrender to troops, he said:
“There were constant artillery and air bombardments that greatly
affected our plans and dampened our morale to fight in the bush and
lake.
“More fighters are ready to surrender, but they are uncertain of what
fate awaits them.”
Asked what the personal motivations to surrender are, he however;
said: “I am not sure if our spiritual direction is correct.”
Antigha further disclosed that last March, a group of ISWAP/Boko Haram
terrorists were surrounded in Sector 4 in Diffa province of Niger.
He said that within the same period, some terrorists also capitulated
and surrendered to troops of Sector 1 in Mora, Cameroon and is
currently being rehabilitated.
He added that Boko Haram defectors from Sector 3 in Nigeria are also
being rehabilitated through Operation Safe Corridor at Gombe, Gombe
state.
End.
He stressed that while MNJTF will continue to intensify the tempo of
its kinetic operations on all fronts, it encourages more terrorists to
reject terrorism and abandon the needless killing of innocent
civilians.
He further encouraged the terrorists “to seek redemption within the
structures provided for rehabilitation within the different
jurisdictions”.
