According to Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, the Chief Military Information Officer of the MNJTF, the suspected terrorists voluntarily turned themselves in at Walada village in Damasak after a sustained offensive operation by the troops. The surrendered terrorists were identified as Mallam Baba Ibrahim (19), Malam Bamai Ali (20), Mallam Jundu Ali (19), Mallam Abba Ali (25), Mallam Abubakar Mohammed (20), Tijjani Ali (20), and Mallam Ali Mommudu (25).
The terrorists confessed to having been involved in numerous terrorist activities across Northern Borno. However, they expressed their exhaustion with the conflict and their previous fear of being killed if they surrendered.
The substantial arms cache and equipment surrendered by the suspected terrorists included:
2 RPG tubes
4 RPG bombs
An AK-47 rifle
An HK 21 German machine gun
8 empty magazines
2 horses
30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition
715 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
51 NATO rounds
12 mobile phones
6 small solar panels
2 bandoliers
4 knives
The former insurgents are now providing valuable intelligence to the MNJTF. This development comes after a similar incident in May 2024, where 47 Boko Haram/ISWAP farmers surrendered to troops
Lieutenant Colonel Osoba urged other terrorists to follow suit and surrender their arms in exchange for peace. “The MNJTF wishes to encourage other terrorists to take this opportunity to surrender as laying down arms is a crucial step towards achieving lasting peace in the Lake Chad Region,” he said.
