By Harriet Tornguvan
The ongoing counter-terrorism campaign in Nigeria's North-East recorded a major breakthrough as two high-profile commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), military authorities have disclosed.
The commanders, identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, surrendered to troops on June 8, 2026, following sustained military offensives against terrorist strongholds in the Lake Chad region.
In a statement issued by the Acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, the two surrendered insurgents are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and debriefing.
According to the military, preliminary investigations revealed that the duo occupied strategic positions within the ISWAP hierarchy and operated in the Mangari axis of the Lake Chad region.
The statement disclosed that Ismail Mohammed was a close associate of notorious ISWAP leader, Baa Shuwa, and possessed extensive knowledge of the group's command structure and operational activities.
Abu Umar, on the other hand, was described as a skilled explosives expert responsible for the fabrication and maintenance of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and other combat-support equipment used by the terrorist group.
The military further revealed that intelligence gathered during interrogation indicated that another prominent terrorist figure, Mohammed Khalifa, a member of the ISWAP Shurah Council, was neutralised during recent joint military operations conducted by Operation Hadin Kai.
Military authorities described the surrender of the two commanders as a significant setback for the terrorist organisation, noting that their influence, operational experience and technical expertise had played critical roles in sustaining insurgent activities over the years.
The development, according to the military, reflects the growing impact of sustained ground and air offensives being carried out by troops of Operation Hadin Kai in collaboration with allied partners across the theatre of operations.
"Their decision to surrender underscores the effectiveness of ongoing military operations which continue to degrade terrorist capabilities, weaken their operational networks and compel increasing numbers of insurgents to lay down their arms," the statement noted.
The military added that the surrender highlights declining morale within terrorist ranks as relentless pressure continues to deny insurgents freedom of movement and safe havens across the North-East.
Operation Hadin Kai reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining sustained pressure on terrorist elements, stressing that efforts to dismantle insurgent leadership structures and restore lasting peace and stability in affected communities would continue unabated.
Security analysts say the surrender of senior commanders and the reported elimination of key terrorist leaders could further weaken ISWAP's operational capacity and intelligence networks in the Lake Chad region.
