Two senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a bomb-making specialist, have surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.
Haruna Sani, acting spokesperson for the task force, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, describing the development as a major breakthrough in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign in the terror-ravaged region. The statement included pictures of the suspected terror commanders and another one reported killed during one of the previous military offensives.
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Mr Sani, a Nigerian Army colonel, said the commanders, identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, surrendered to troops on 8 June and are currently in custody, undergoing profiling and debriefing.
He added that preliminary investigations revealed that both men occupied key positions within the terrorist organisation and operated in the Mangari axis of the Lake Chad region.
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Mr Sani disclosed that Mr Mohammed was a close associate of the senior ISWAP leader, Baa Shuwa, and possessed extensive knowledge of the group’s command structure and operations.
Mr Umar, meanwhile, was described as a skilled explosives expert responsible for the fabrication and maintenance of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and other combat-support equipment used by the insurgents.
In a related development, the military said interrogations conducted after the surrender revealed that Mohammed Khalifa, a member of the ISWAP Shurah Council, was killed during recent joint military operations conducted by troops of Operation Hadin Kai and their allied partner, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
This newspaper understands that the Shurah Council is ISWAP’s highest decision-making body, comprising senior commanders and ideological leaders who shape the group’s strategic direction, operational priorities and leadership decisions. Members of the council wield significant influence within the organisation, making the reported killing of a council member a potentially significant blow to the group’s leadership structure.
The surrender of the two commanders is expected to provide valuable intelligence on ISWAP’s operational networks, leadership hierarchy and activities in the Lake Chad region, while also dealing a setback to the group’s operational capabilities.
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Mr Sani attributed the development to sustained offensive operations and precision strikes targeting terrorist enclaves across the theatre of operations.
He said the intensified pressure has continued to degrade terrorist capabilities, disrupt their networks and compel increasing numbers of insurgents to surrender.
The military spokesperson added that the surrender of the commanders reflects growing pressure on the insurgent group and reinforces ongoing efforts to dismantle its leadership and operational structures.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Nigerian troops and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted intelligence-driven operations against ISWAP, killing a top commander, Abubakar Mainok, alongside many fighters.
United States President Donald Trump first announced the operational breakthrough. Then, his Nigerian counterpart, Bola Tinubu, confirmed it, saying Mr Mainok was killed on a Lake Chad island.
