A senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), as the military continues to record an increasing number of terrorist defections in the North East.
According to the military, the surrender is part of a growing wave of defections, with about 46 terrorists and their family members voluntarily laying down their arms in recent days following sustained land and air offensives against terrorist enclaves.
The senior ISWAP operative surrendered to troops of the 3 Battalion under the 24 Task Force Brigade at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25, 2026, along the Ladari–Jegarawa–Tunokalia axis on the Gamboru–Wulgo Main Supply Route.
Military authorities said preliminary profiling identified the suspect as the chief finance operative of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he was responsible for managing the group’s finances and logistics. He reportedly surrendered alongside two male children.
Items recovered from him included one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle, and ₦40,000 in cash.
The military disclosed that the suspect is undergoing detailed profiling and interrogation to obtain actionable intelligence that will support ongoing operations and aid efforts to track down remaining terrorist elements across the theatre.
Operation HADIN KAI described the surrender as a significant blow to ISWAP, saying it reflects the continued weakening of the group’s command structure, operational capability, and logistics network due to sustained military pressure.
The command added that the rising number of recent surrenders indicates growing disillusionment within terrorist ranks and an increasing wave of defections from terrorist camps.
Reaffirming its commitment to restoring peace and stability in the North East, the Theatre Command urged remaining terrorists to take advantage of the Federal Government’s non-kinetic initiatives by surrendering. It also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
