The military high command has announced another breakthrough in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the North-East, as 17 family members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorist group surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in separate incidents in Borno State.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.
According to the statement, the surrenders followed sustained military offensives aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves, disrupting logistics networks, and denying insurgents freedom of movement across the theatre of operations.
In the first incident, 16 JAS family members—comprising 10 women and six children—voluntarily surrendered to troops of the 222 Battalion during a routine domination patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area.
The group surrendered at about 9:15 a.m. on August 4, 2026. Preliminary debriefing revealed that the sustained military pressure on terrorist hideouts forced them to abandon the insurgents’ camp and seek safety with the troops.
A total of ₦92,000 was recovered from the group during the surrender process.
In a separate incident on the same day, an 11-year-old JAS family member surrendered to troops of the 202 Battalion under Sector 1 in Bama Local Government Area of the state.
According to the military, the minor also attributed the decision to surrender to the intensified offensive operations against terrorist elements in the area.
Captain Goni stated that all the surrendered individuals are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and preliminary debriefing. He added that they will subsequently be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further assessment, rehabilitation where necessary, and other administrative procedures in line with established protocols.
He noted that the latest surrender highlights the effectiveness of the ongoing counter-terrorism operations by Operation HADIN KAI, which continue to exert pressure on terrorist groups while encouraging willing members and their associates to renounce insurgency.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining aggressive operations across the North-East to maintain operational dominance, degrade terrorist capabilities, and provide safe opportunities for those willing to surrender to lay down their arms.
