Boko Haram members surrendering to troops in Mafa, Borno

About 1,500 commanders and members of ISWAP-Boko Haram have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian Army in Mafa, Borno State, PR Nigeria has reported.

A video clip obtained by the website showed a mass of the repentant terrorists, their family members comprising women and children, filing out (in a straight line) from dense vegetation, not identified.

The returnees, then proceeded to surrender to troops at Mafa, it was further learnt.

Some former top commanders of the terrorist groups, including Adamu Rugurugu, and their family members have so far surrendered to the Nigerian military at various designated locations in Borno State.

Some of the terrorists surrendered with their families at Bama, Mafa and Gwoza axes this weekend.

PRNigeria said the massive campaign jingles sponsored by the Nigerian military in both Kanuri and Hausa languages, in recent times, have also helped to coerced many insurgents to quit terrorism and lay down their arms.

A top military intelligence source told PRNigeria that the terrorists are leaving their camps to surrender because of aggressive advocacy by Islamic scholars and family members.

He said about 2000 more terrorists are expected to surrender at the Lake Chad axis due to advocacy campaigns and the psychological military operation.

“Most of them, who surrendered in the last few days are renouncing their membership of Boko Haram and ISWAP because of campaign jingles, advocacy by religious scholars and engagement with their family members and friends which have been enlightening on the need to jettison their barbaric activities.

“We are expecting about 2,000 more from the Lake Chad axis… In fact, most of them were either forcefully conscripted or brainwashed in joining the terrorists during the heat of Boko Haram terrorism. They have also surrendered a lot of weapons and are cooperating with our team in designated locations,” the intelligence operative concluded.

Watch video of the surrender here