Theatre Commander: What ISWAP is doing to stop terrorists from surrendering

Disturbed by the growing number of Boko Haram terrorists that have surrendered to the troops of the Nigerian Army, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) is bent of stopping the trend.

ISWAP, a terrorist group, has set up a task force to halt the mass surrendering of Boko Haram members.

The Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force, “Operations Hadin Kai”, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, made the revelation.

According to him, 17,000 insurgents have so far surrendered to the government.

He said those that surrendered comprised combatants, non-combatants, those conscripted against their wish and family members.

Maj.-Gen. Musa noted that the development was a positive one that remains a source of concern for ISWAP members, who have started panicking as their hope to inherit Boko Haram fighters has boomeranged.

Musa said that the disturbed ISWAP group had even set up a task force to stop the trend of surrendering, adding that the way the surrendered terrorists are managed would ginger more still in the bush to come out.

The Theatre Commander spoke toon Friday in Maiduguri during a courtesy call on the management of North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The military top brass said the growing number of those surrendering as the military continue to profile them warranted the need for the intervention of the NEDC in their maintenance.

“From the Presidency, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, everyone is putting hands on deck to see that the menace is ended, and we have peace in the North East.

“We know that if we have peace in North-East it will transcend to other regions,” Musa said.

Responding, the Managing Director of NEDC, Mr. Mohammed Alkali, lauded the effective role of the military in restoring peace in the region, adding that the improvement in security in North-East has enabled the commission to embark on various projects and other non-kinetic support in recovered areas.

Alkali who assured the military of continuous collaboration and support, urged them to sustain the tempo at this critical time of closure of camps in Maiduguri and resettlement of displaced persons back to their ancestral homes.