By Deborah Nnamdi
Two senior Boko Haram commanders have surrendered to troops of Sector 2, North East Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, in what the military described as another major breakthrough in its counter-terrorism operations.
The acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.
According to Goni, the two surrendered insurgents, identified as “Munzirs” within the terrorist group’s leadership structure, surrendered to troops on July 4, 2026.
He said the commanders have since been moved to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where they are currently in military custody undergoing profiling, debriefing and intelligence exploitation.
Goni said preliminary interrogation revealed that the two men held influential positions within the terrorist organisation and possess extensive knowledge of its operations, command structure and logistics network.
He noted that intelligence gathered from the initial debriefing had already provided valuable insights into the group’s operational methods, sustainment mechanisms and support networks, adding that the information would strengthen ongoing intelligence-led operations aimed at locating and dismantling remaining terrorist enclaves across the North-East.
The military spokesperson described the surrender as another major setback for the insurgent group, saying it further demonstrated the effectiveness of sustained offensive operations being carried out by Operation HADIN KAI in collaboration with other security partners.
According to him, continuous military pressure through coordinated land and air operations, backed by enhanced intelligence efforts, has significantly restricted the terrorists’ freedom of movement, weakened their combat capability and disrupted their command and control structures.
He added that increasing numbers of terrorist leaders and fighters were finding it difficult to sustain the insurgency, forcing many to abandon the group and surrender to troops.
Goni said the latest development reflected the gradual disintegration of the terrorist organisation and underscored the cumulative impact of sustained military operations across the North-East theatre.
He reaffirmed that Operation HADIN KAI would maintain the operational momentum until all terrorist elements are either neutralised or compelled to surrender, stressing that troops would continue to intensify offensive operations and exploit actionable intelligence in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to restore lasting peace and security across the region.
