By John Ikani
No fewer than 100 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) jihadist group and their families have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian Army.
A statement posted on Twitter by the Nigerian Army revealed that the ISWAP fighters and their families comprising 22 males, 27 females and 55 children surrendered to troops of 25 Task Force Brigade Damboa, Borno State on Saturday 5 February 2022.
The development comes as military fighter aircraft, including Super Tucano belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), ‘aggressively’ raided ISWAP camps in weeklong sustained aerial attacks.
Photos posted alongside the statement showed army trucks offloading some women and their loads and were received by soldiers in Damboa.
Troops are seen taking the surrendered fighters into custody for subsequent profiling.
BREAKING: ISWAP fighters and their families numbering 104 comprising 22 males, 27 females and 55 children surrendered to troops of 25 Task Force Brigade Damboa, Borno State on Saturday 5 February 2022. pic.twitter.com/0Xq6t6dr8Q
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) February 7, 2022
It is worthwhile to note that while thousands of jihadists militants have surrendered to authorities in time past, there is still no end to sight for the 13-year old insurgency.
On Saturday, three civilians were reportedly abducted by ISWAP fighters at Mandaragirau village, in what appeared to be a reprisal attack, after 25 insurgents drowned near Lake Chad.
The Islamist militants were attempting to cross a deep river while fleeing airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force jets.
