17 Terrorist Fighters, Family Members Surrender, Troops Reject Inducement from Suspected Spy

Linus Aleke in Abuja 

The military has disclosed that no fewer than 17 terrorist fighters, accompanied by their family members, surrendered to troops of Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai within one week, citing harsh living conditions, hunger and a lack of basic provisions in their enclaves.

It also said that troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma, rejected a financial inducement offered by a suspected terrorist spy in an attempt to evade arrest in Sokoto State.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, made the disclosures during his weekly briefing on the operational gains recorded by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) across the country.

He further disclosed that troops recovered six firearms and more than 300 rounds of ammunition during the period under review. He added that troops also rescued a female victim of terrorist abduction who had reportedly been forced into child marriage, alongside her one-year-old child, in Borno State.

Giving details of the operations, Major General Onoja said: “On 6 September 2026, troops intercepted a truck at a checkpoint along the Gurbi-Zurmi Road in Jibia LGA of Katsina State. Troops confiscated four motorcycles concealed within fuel and oil consignments destined for Zamfara State. The driver was arrested and is currently undergoing investigation. Follow-up exploitation on 7 September 2026 led to the arrest of 12 suspects and the recovery of additional exhibits. On 8 September 2026, troops arrested a suspect spying on troops’ location at Dange Market in Dange Shuni LGA of Sokoto State.

“The suspect had offered financial inducement in an attempt to evade arrest but met stiff resistance from our troops, who refused and went ahead to apprehend him.”

Major General Onoja added, “Sustained military operations from 4–7 September 2026 led to the surrender of a total of 17 terrorist fighters with family members in Monguno town and along the Gwoza-Limankara Road in Gwoza LGA of Borno State. They cited the harsh living conditions, hunger and lack of basic provisions within terrorist enclaves on the Mandara Mountains as reasons for fleeing.

“In a related development, on 8 September 2026, troops intercepted a female abductee and her one-year-old child near the Gava area of Gwoza LGA of Borno State. The victim, who is an indigene of Chinene, disclosed that she had been forced into child marriage by her captors in 2025.”

He also disclosed that troops arrested a suspected terrorist collaborator in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State and discovered and confiscated radio equipment allegedly linked to a reprisal attack on local residents.

“On 10 September 2026, troops intercepted a suspected ammunition courier along the Birnin Gwari axis and recovered 300 rounds of ammunition concealed in her belongings,” he noted.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, commended the resolve of troops across all theatres of operations for their successes in neutralising terrorists, disrupting logistics and arms-trafficking networks, securing the surrender of terrorist fighters and their families, and rescuing victims of kidnapping.

He also applauded the sustained and invaluable collaboration between troops, other security agencies and stakeholders, noting that such synergy continues to strengthen the nation’s collective response to terrorism, kidnapping and secessionist agitation.

The CDS assured that the AFN remains committed to sustaining the current tempo of operations and will continue to operate within its Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement, in line with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other international best practices.