Odita Sunday 
Senior ISWAP finance chief surrenders as 46 terrorists, families lay down arms
By Odita Sunday
The Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, has announced the surrender of a senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), describing it as another major breakthrough in ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North East.
According to Goni in a statement issued on Saturday in Maiduguri, the surrender comes amid a fresh wave of defections, with about 46 terrorists and their family members voluntarily laying down their arms in recent days following sustained military offensives.
He said 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.
The military spokesman disclosed that preliminary profiling identified the surrendered insurgent as the chief finance operative of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he managed the group’s financial operations and logistics.
According to him, the suspect surrendered alongside two male children.
Items recovered from the surrendered terrorist include one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle and ₦40,000 cash.
Goni said the suspect is currently undergoing detailed profiling and interrogation to enable the military exploit actionable intelligence for ongoing operations against remaining terrorist elements in the theatre.
He noted that the surrender of such a high-ranking finance operative represents a significant blow to ISWAP’s operational and logistical network, adding that it further demonstrates the effectiveness of sustained land and air offensives by troops of Operation HADIN KAI.
”The development, coupled with the increasing number of recent surrenders, confirms growing disillusionment within terrorist ranks and points to an accelerating wave of defections from terrorist camps,” the statement said.
The spokesman reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI to restoring lasting peace, security and stability across the North East.
He also urged remaining terrorists to embrace the Federal Government’s non-kinetic initiatives by surrendering, while calling on members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to strengthen ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
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