An alleged senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Musa Usman, has turned himself in to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno state.
Mohammed Gomi, acting military information officer at the headquarters of the Joint Task Force (north-east) Operation Hadin Kai, said Usman’s surrender came amid a broader wave of defections from terrorist camps, with around 46 fighters and their family members voluntarily laying down their arms.
Gomi said the defections were triggered by sustained land and air offensives that have continued to dismantle insurgent strongholds across the north-east.
Military sources told counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama that human intelligence alerted troops of 24 Task Force Brigade to the planned surrender of the high-profile ISWAP member along the Ladari–Jegarawaji–Tunokalia corridor on the Gamboru–Wulgo main supply route.
“Acting on the intelligence, troops of 3 Battalion (Mechanised), in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hybrid Forces, mobilised and intercepted the terrorist at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25,” the report reads.
“The surrendered insurgent was identified as Musa Usman, aged 40, who arrived with his two sons, Abubakar Musa, 10, and Awwali Musa, 15.”
Preliminary questioning revealed that Usman served as chief finance officer of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he was responsible for overseeing financial operations, logistics and resource management.
“Items recovered from him include one AK-47 rifle, four AK-47 magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle, and ₦40,000 in cash,” Makama said.
“Musa Usman and his children are currently undergoing detailed profiling and further interrogation to extract actionable intelligence that could assist ongoing operations against remaining ISWAP elements and their support networks across the theatre.”
Operation Hadin Kai reaffirmed its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security across the north-east, urging remaining fighters to take advantage of the federal government’s non-kinetic initiatives by surrendering before it is too late.
The command also called on the public to keep providing timely and reliable intelligence to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the region.