The Nigerian military has recorded a 213 per cent increase in the number of terrorists and their associates surrendering to troops in the North-East, amid sustained offensive operations aimed at degrading terrorist groups and disrupting their logistics networks across the theatre.
The surge in surrenders was recorded over the past week by troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), the military’s counter-insurgency operation in the North-East, as troops intensified coordinated ground operations, targeted identified terrorist positions, and disrupted routes used to move personnel, weapons, food, and other supplies.
Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), disclosed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The military said the number of terrorist surrenders recorded during the period represented a 213 per cent increase compared with the preceding week.
‘During the period under review, the Theatre recorded a 213 per cent increase in terrorist surrenders compared with the preceding week,’ it said.
According to the statement, the development followed continued military pressure on terrorist formations and their logistics networks in different parts of the North-East.
It said the increasing number of terrorists abandoning their activities and surrendering to troops indicated a growing willingness among members of the groups and their associates to disengage from violence and submit to established surrender procedures.
The military attributed the development to the cumulative effect of sustained offensive operations designed not only to attack terrorist positions but also to deny the groups access to the logistics and supply networks required to maintain prolonged operations.
It further said the operations conducted during the week involved coordinated ground actions, engagements against identified terrorist positions and deliberate efforts to disrupt terrorist logistics and supply routes.
In a related development, two high-profile terrorist members surrendered to troops on Wednesday, bringing with them arms, ammunition and other military equipment.
The recovery, according to the military, provided further evidence of the pressure being exerted on terrorist groups operating in the region.
‘The recovery of these weapons and ammunition further reinforces indications that sustained military pressure is having a significant effect on the cohesion, morale and operational sustainability of terrorist elements,’ the military said.
It explained that the surrender of the two members, alongside the recovery of their weapons and other military items, suggested that terrorist groups were experiencing increasing difficulties in retaining fighters and sustaining their operational activities.
It added that the development pointed to a gradual reduction in the ability of terrorist elements to maintain prolonged operations, particularly as troops continue to target their positions and disrupt the channels through which they receive supplies.
The military also disclosed that additional terrorist members surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama on August 7 at New Abaram.
It said the surrender followed sustained military operations in the area as well as internal disagreements within the terrorist enclave.
It also said the individuals were subjected to screening after surrendering, while mobile phones and other items in their possession were recovered.
The surrendered persons were subsequently handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action in line with established procedures.
The military said the development underscored the combined effect of battlefield pressure and internal challenges within terrorist groups, which it said were increasingly influencing fighters and associates to reconsider their continued involvement in violence.
The Theatre Command said the rising frequency of surrenders reflected its multi-dimensional approach to counter-insurgency operations.
According to the military, the strategy combines offensive ground operations, precision engagements and systematic disruption of terrorist logistics and supply networks.
‘By denying terrorists the opportunity to freely manoeuvre, regroup and replenish, troops continue to restrict their operational options and undermine their ability to sustain terrorist activities,’ it said.
It described the growing number of surrenders as the cumulative outcome of sustained military pressure and the gradual erosion of terrorist capability, cohesion and willingness to continue fighting.
The military’s strategy has increasingly focused on restricting the ability of terrorist groups to move freely between locations, reinforce their positions and replenish their stocks of weapons, ammunition, food and other essential supplies.
The Theatre Command said the disruption of these networks was critical to weakening terrorist groups because their ability to sustain attacks depends heavily on continuous access to logistics and manpower.
It said Operation HADIN KAI would continue to maintain pressure on terrorist elements across the North-East while providing appropriate channels for individuals willing to abandon violence and surrender.
‘The objective remains clear: to further degrade terrorist capabilities, restore security and create the conditions necessary for lasting peace and stability across the North-East,’ the statement noted.
The Theatre Command urged residents and other members of the public to support ongoing military operations by providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
It stressed that cooperation from communities remained critical to the success of counter-insurgency operations, particularly in identifying terrorist movements, logistics activities and hideouts.
The command also appealed to terrorists and their associates still operating in the region to abandon violence and take advantage of the available surrender channels.
The military said such surrenders would provide individuals seeking to leave terrorist groups with an opportunity to disengage from violence and submit themselves to the established screening and rehabilitation procedures of the authorities.