Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recorded a 213 per cent increase in terrorist surrenders across the North-East, with two high-profile members of an insurgent group recently surrendering with arms, ammunition and other military equipment in Borno State.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Muhammed Goni, who attributed the increase to sustained military operations against terrorist positions, logistics routes and supply networks.
Goni said the latest surrender was part of a growing number of terrorist fighters and associates abandoning their activities and submitting to troops through established surrender procedures.
He said troops had intensified coordinated ground operations and engagements against identified terrorist positions while simultaneously disrupting the logistics and supply routes used by insurgent groups across the theatre.
“The sustained operations by troops of Operation HADIN KAI have continued to record results across the North East Theatre of Operations, with a notable increase in the number of terrorist fighters and associates surrendering to troops over the past one week,” Goni said.
According to him, the theatre recorded a 213 per cent increase in terrorist surrenders during the period under review when 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,” he stated.
The Army spokesman said two high-profile terrorist members surrendered to troops with arms, ammunition and other military items, describing the development as another indication of the pressure being exerted on terrorist groups through ongoing military operations.
“In a further manifestation of this emerging trend, two high-profile terrorist members surrendered to troops today, bringing with them arms, ammunition and other military items,” he said.
He explained that the recovery of the weapons and other military items alongside the surrender of the fighters could provide security agencies with useful intelligence while further weakening the operational capabilities of terrorist groups.
“The recovery of the 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,” Goni said.
The development, he added, reflected an increasing number of fighters and associates choosing to abandon terrorist activities rather than continue operating within insurgent groups.
Goni also disclosed that other terrorist members surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama on August 7, 2026, at New Abaram.
He said the surrender followed sustained military operations in the area as well as internal disagreements within the terrorist enclave.
The surrendered members were subsequently screened by security personnel, with mobile phones and other items recovered from them before they were handed over for further action in accordance with established procedures.
“Other terrorist members surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama on 7 August 2026 at New Abaram, following sustained military operations and internal disagreements within the terrorist enclave,” he stated.
According to Goni, the development further demonstrated the combined impact of military pressure and internal fractures within terrorist organisations operating in the region.
He said the military’s strategy had continued to target the ability of terrorist groups to move freely, regroup and replenish their supplies.
The Army spokesman said the approach involved sustained offensive ground operations, precision engagements and systematic disruption of terrorist logistics and supply networks.
“The increasing frequency of surrenders underscores the effectiveness of the Theatre’s multi-dimensional approach, which combines offensive ground operations, precision engagements and systematic disruption of terrorist logistics and supply networks,” Goni stated.
He said the growing number of surrenders should not be viewed as isolated incidents but as part of a wider trend resulting from sustained pressure on terrorist groups.
“The trend therefore represents more than isolated individual decisions, but the cumulative impact of sustained pressure and the gradual erosion of terrorist capability, cohesion and willingness to continue the fight,” he noted.
Goni maintained that restricting the movement and supply of terrorist elements would continue to reduce their ability to launch attacks, recruit fighters and maintain their operations across the North-East.
He said troops would sustain legitimate military pressure against terrorist groups while providing opportunities for those willing to abandon violence and surrender through established channels.
“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,” Goni emphasised.
He urged residents across the theatre to continue supporting ongoing military operations by providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
According to him, information from local communities remains important in helping troops identify terrorist movements, logistics networks and operational activities.
The Army spokesman also called on members of terrorist groups and their associates to abandon violence and take advantage of the available surrender channels.
The latest development comes amid continuing military operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province elements across Borno and other parts of the North-East.
The region has remained at the centre of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign, with security forces deploying ground operations and other measures to disrupt terrorist networks and prevent them from establishing new areas of influence.
For communities affected by the insurgency, the surrender of fighters could potentially reduce the operational strength of terrorist groups while providing security agencies with intelligence that may assist ongoing efforts to dismantle their networks.
West Trybe reports that the 213 per cent rise in terrorist surrenders recorded by Operation Hadin Kai marks a significant development in the military’s ongoing counter-insurgency campaign. The surrender of high-profile fighters alongside the recovery of weapons and other military items could strengthen intelligence gathering and further expose the internal structure of terrorist networks, while sustained pressure on their logistics and supply chains may continue to influence fighters considering whether to abandon the insurgency.
