At least 210 Boko Haram insurgents and their family members have surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad region, marking a significant development in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign.
The surrender took place under Sector 2 of the MNJTF’s operations and was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the Task Force’s spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba.
He attributed the mass capitulation to the sustained intensity of both military and non-combat strategies employed by the regional force.
According to Lt.-Col. Osoba, the insurgents admitted to engaging in terrorist activities across several locations including Bakatolerom, Barkalam, Litri, and Kaiga Ngbouboun, areas long identified as flashpoints within the Lake Chad basin.
During the operation, troops recovered ten assorted firearms of various calibres from the fighters.
Describing the development as a “major blow” to the remnants of Boko Haram still operating in the region, Osoba said it underscores the growing effectiveness of the MNJTF’s integrated operational strategy, which combines military pressure with soft-landing programmes for those who choose to lay down their arms.
The Commander of Sector 2 and leader of Operation Lake Chad, Major-General Moussa Haussa, praised the troops for their commitment and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He also assured that all those who surrendered would be treated with dignity and enrolled in the MNJTF’s deradicalisation initiative.
Additionally, Brigadier-General Saleh Haggar Tidjani, Governor of the Lake Chad Region, welcomed the former combatants and pledged government support for their rehabilitation.
He announced plans to implement skill acquisition and vocational training programmes designed to help the former insurgents reintegrate successfully into civilian life.
“This initiative aims to provide them with sustainable livelihoods and support their transition back to peaceful civilian life,” Osoba stated, emphasizing the MNJTF’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in the troubled region.
