Major General Christopher Musa, the theatre commander, Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast of Nigeria, has revealed that 73,000 insurgents have surrendered so far with their children.
Speaking at the operation’s headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno state, General Musa, said “What we basically do in the theatre is that we carry out both kinetic and non-kinetic operations. The kinetic is where we use force, and it’s just about 25%. The remaining 75% of the operation is non-kinetic, which has to do with good governance and all that stuff. Shekau is gone, dead and forgotten.
“Now, we’ve been able to conduct blockades, cut off the oxygen that keeps them going; funding, logistics, leadership, reinforcement within – we’ve been able to tackle those. So, combining efforts with the multinational joint task force, we are also working towards blocking the international boundary so that it will always be difficult for them to get reinforcements outside.
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He however revealed that one major challenge is that the funding the terrorists are getting from foreign sponsors keeps them going and that is specifically more to the ISWAP.
“The leadership of both Shekau and ISWAP groups are finding it difficult because almost all their members are pulling out and so the leaders alone can’t do it. So, they formed up teams now and they’re going after those who surrendered. But Shekau has gone out of the system. It is just these remnants.
“But what we’ve also realised is that some of these guys are just doing business. A lot of times, they tell you they’re attacking here or they’re moving here, it’s just to show their sponsors that they’re still active. They only now go to look for food in the name of attacks. They lack food and very little ammunition. They’re in very terrible shape as it is. But, you know the whole north-east is massive, so they enjoy hiding here and there.
Speaking on recruitment of locals by the terrorist group, General Musa said most people in the region are fed up with the insecurity.
“A lot of their commanders are surrendering because they tell you that they don’t see any future in what’s going on. They want to come back and live their normal life. I think they’ve realised that’s the best way to go.”