In what has been hailed as a significant victory against terrorism, a total of 210 Boko Haram members, including conscripted fighters and their families, have surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force operating under Sector 2 in Bol, Baga Sola.
This development comes on the heels of intensified kinetic and non-kinetic operations in the area, supported by combined forces from the Army, Air Force, and Navy under the North East’s ‘Operation Hadin Kai,’ led by the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Chief Military Public Information Officer of the MNJTF, Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, disclosed that, “The surrendered terrorists confessed to have participated in various terrorist acts along the Bakatolerom, Barkalam, Litri, and Kaiga Ngbouboun axis of Lake Chad. Ten assorted weapons of various calibres were recovered from the terrorists.”
The statement further noted that the Commander of Sector 2/Operation Lake Chad, Major General Moussa Haussa, commended the troops for their dedication to the anti-terror fight. He urged them to sustain their efforts, stressing, “there is no future for terrorism in the region.”
Haussa also assured that those who had surrendered would be treated humanely and integrated into the MNJTF’s deradicalization programme aimed at reshaping their perspectives and preparing them for peaceful civilian life.
In the same vein, the Governor of the Region of Lake Chad, Brigadier General Saleh Tidjani, welcomed the former fighters, emphasizing that arrangements were already underway to enroll them in skill acquisition programmes to ease their reintegration into society. “This initiative aims to provide them with sustainable livelihoods and support their transition back to peaceful civilian life,” he said.
Military authorities highlighted that the mass surrender dealt a major blow to Boko Haram’s operational capacity in the Lake Chad region. They also pointed to it as clear evidence of the effectiveness of the MNJTF’s holistic strategy, which combines sustained military action with programmes designed to encourage defections and foster reintegration.
“The MNJTF remains committed to working with regional partners to bring lasting peace and security to the Lake Chad Basin,” the statement concluded.
