In a major breakthrough for regional security forces, 210 members of Boko Haram and their families have surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) operating in Sector 2 around the Lake Chad region.
Their surrender follows months of sustained military operations and outreach efforts by the MNJTF, aimed at weakening terrorist strongholds across Bakatolerom, Barkalam, Litri, and Kaiga Ngbouboun.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 2, MNJTF spokesman Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba said the surrendered fighters confessed to being involved in multiple terrorist activities in those areas.
Troops recovered ten assorted weapons from the group, which Osoba described as “a major blow to Boko Haram fighters hibernating in the region.”
He credited the success to the MNJTF’s combined use of both kinetic (combat) and non-kinetic (non-combat) strategies, noting that it was yielding results not only on the battlefield but also in reducing militant recruitment and resistance.
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The Commander of Sector 2, Operation Lake Chad, Maj.-Gen. Moussa Haussa, praised the troops for their resolve and urged them to keep up the pressure.
“Maj.-Gen Haussa assured that those who surrendered will be treated humanely and will participate in the MNJTF’s deradicalisation programme,” Osoba stated.
Also weighing in, the Governor of the Region of Lake Chad, Brig.-Gen. Saleh Haggar Tidjani, welcomed the ex-fighters and pledged support for their reintegration into society.
“This initiative aims to provide them with sustainable livelihoods and support their transition back to peaceful civilian life,” Osoba added.
The development is seen as a hopeful step toward restoring stability in the region long plagued by insurgency.