A suspected member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), trained as a gunboat operator and Dushka heavy machine gunner, has surrendered to troops of 5 Brigade in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.
Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama disclosed this on his verified X account yesterday, stating that the suspect surrendered to troops at about 9am on July 1.
According to him, preliminary findings showed the suspect fled an ISWAP camp at Barra Village in the Lake Chad region, near Dogon Chukwu, following sustained military air strikes on terrorist enclaves.
During debriefing, the suspect reportedly said he was trained as a gunboat driver and operated a Dushka heavy machine gun during insurgent operations in the Lake Chad area.
He has since been placed in military custody for profiling, intelligence debriefing and other administrative procedures after receiving medical attention and food.
Meanwhile, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said the Federal Government has secured 1,721 terrorism-related convictions since the launch of its Mass Trial Programme in October 2017.
Director of Legal Services at ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, disclosed this during a joint security briefing by defence, security and law enforcement agencies in Abuja.
He said the programme, coordinated by ONSA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the judiciary and security agencies, has completed 10 phases of terrorism trials.
According to him, the first three phases between 2017 and 2018 recorded 366 convictions, while phases four to eight, conducted between 2023 and 2025, produced 490 convictions.
He added that phases nine and 10, conducted this year, resulted in 865 convictions, bringing the total to 1,721.
Mijinyawa said the programme also discharged or acquitted defendants where evidence was insufficient, reflecting the government’s commitment to due process and fair trial.
Also speaking, the Defence Headquarters said troops neutralised 1,597 terrorists and other criminal elements, rescued 1,516 kidnapped victims and conducted 14,221 operations nationwide between January and June.
Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, represented by Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, said troops recovered 451 firearms, 16,726 rounds of ammunition, 161 explosives and improvised explosive devices during the period.
He added that 412 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters were neutralised, 332 suspected terrorists arrested, while 132 insurgents surrendered.
According to him, the military also strengthened civil-military relations through peacebuilding initiatives, public sensitisation campaigns and stakeholder engagements.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Iniedu Okokon, said police operations during the review period led to the arrest of suspects linked to terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery, while several firearms and ammunition were recovered.
He added that operatives rescued kidnapped victims, dismantled criminal networks in parts of the country and intercepted ammunition along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor.
Okokon also said police uncovered a railway vandalism syndicate and recovered about 60 tonnes of stolen railway materials valued at about N400 million.