A suspected fighter of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has surrendered to troops of the 5 Brigade in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State, following sustained military operations in the Lake Chad region.

Security sources said the suspect surrendered at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and was taken into military custody.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect fled a terrorist camp at Barra Village near Dogon Chukwu in the Lake Chad area, reportedly controlled by an ISWAP commander identified as Abu Ubeida.

During initial debriefing, the suspect told investigators that he had been trained as a gunboat operator and also served as a Dushka heavy machine gunner during terrorist operations.

According to security sources, the suspect said he decided to abandon the group because sustained military air strikes on terrorist enclaves had significantly disrupted their activities and made survival increasingly difficult.

Following his surrender, the suspect was placed in quarantine in line with military procedures and provided with food and medical care.

He remains in the custody of troops for further profiling, intelligence debriefing and other administrative processes.

Security sources said the latest surrender reflects the continued impact of sustained air and ground operations in degrading terrorist capabilities and encouraging more insurgents to abandon armed groups across Nigeria’s North-East.

(Photo Credit: Daily Post Nigeria)