Two high-profile Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, commanders have surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Borno State, the Nigerian Army has said.
The surrendered terrorists identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar are in custody and undergoing profiling and debriefing, the Army said in a statement on Thursday.
According to preliminary military assessments, the two men occupied strategic positions within ISWAP’s hierarchy and operated along the Mangari axis of the Lake Chad region.
Ismail Mohammed was described as a close associate of senior ISWAP leader Baa Shuwa and had extensive knowledge of the group’s command structure and operations.
Abu Umar was widely known within the terrorist network as a skilled explosives specialist. He was responsible for the fabrication and maintenance of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, VBIEDs, and other combat-support equipment used by the insurgents.
Military interrogation also revealed that another high-profile terrorist, Mohammed Khalifa, a member of the ISWAP Shurah Council, was neutralized during joint operations by Operation HADIN KAI.
The surrender comes amid sustained military pressure on ISWAP and Boko Haram factions across the North East, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin. Operation HADIN KAI has intensified ground and air operations in recent months, leading to increased defections and the killing of key commanders.
The military said the debriefing of Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar is expected to provide further intelligence on ISWAP’s logistics, recruitment, and attack plans.