Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Christopher Musa, on Friday said that no fewer than 50,801 Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and their families have so far surrendered to troops under his command in Northeast Nigeria from September 2021 to date.
General Musa told journalists in Borno State capital, Maiduguri, that the breakdown of the surrendered terrorists comprised 11,349 fighters, 15,289 women and 24,163 children.
On Thursday, Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Bernard Onyeuko, told journalists in Abuja that the figure was 47,975.
The Theatre Commander attributed the successes to the military’s intensified offensive and onslaught against the terrorists in the region, including the infighting between the two Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists factions which is resulting in high casualties on both sides.
The Commander, who said the terrorists surrendered to troops in the axis of Bama, Gwoza, Banki and other parts of the Lake Chad, added that they and their families would be carefully profiled by the Nigerian Army and other stakeholders before undergoing rehabilitation processes.
This is just as General Onyeuko confirmed that troops of Operation Hadin Kai have overrun an ISWAP stronghold in Sambisa forest.
The terrorists were said to have fled their camp following the operation codenamed Desert Sanity carried out by the troops.
Onyeuko said in the statement titled, ‘Troops of Operation Hadin Kai overrun terrorists’ read: “On March 24, 2022, the troops of Operation Hadin Kai in a special operation codenamed OP Desert Sanity captured terrorists’ stronghold of Ukuba/Camp Zairo in Sambisa forest. In what could be described as a blitzkrieg, the troops routed the terrorists and captured their enclave. The terrorists fled the camp leaving behind their heavy weapon arsenal.
“After a thorough cordon and search of the captured camp, the gallant troops recovered various equipment, including 1x Main Battle Tank, 1x 155mm Bofors Gun, 1xTrailer,1x122mm Gun, 2x105mm Gun, 1x Mines Resistance Ambush Protected fighting vehicle, 1x MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier, 1x Mack Trailer as well as large cache of arms and ammunition left behind by the terrorists.”