By Mohammed Kar, Maiduguri

The wife and son of a senior ISWAP commander who recently surrendered to Nigerian troops have also voluntarily laid down ties with the terrorist group and surrendered to security forces in Borno State.

The development was disclosed by security analyst Zagazola Makama, who revealed that the woman and her child turned themselves in to troops of Operation HADIN KAI following the earlier surrender of the family’s breadwinner.

According to the report, Aisha Musa, 27, arrived with her 11-year-old son at a military position operated by the 3 Battalion (Main) through Kusuma Village at approximately 3:42 p.m. on July 29, 2026.

Preliminary investigations by military authorities indicated that Aisha’s husband was a prominent member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and reportedly served as the group’s chief finance officer within the Jubillaram enclave.

Security sources disclosed that before his surrender, the former insurgent leader had instructed his wife to leave the enclave with their son should he successfully escape and surrender to government forces.

The directive was reportedly carried out after the commander surrendered to troops on July 25, 2026, paving the way for his family members to seek safety under military protection.

Military sources said the woman and her son underwent thorough screening and security checks in line with established procedures for individuals exiting areas previously controlled by insurgents.

Following the screening process, the pair were taken into custody by the 24 Task Force Brigade, where arrangements were made for their transfer to the Headquarters of the 7 Division for further profiling, documentation and administrative processing.

Security officials view the latest surrender as another indication of the growing collapse of terrorist support structures in parts of the North-East, as sustained military offensives continue to weaken insurgent strongholds.

In recent months, Nigerian troops under Operation HADIN KAI have intensified ground and air operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP formations, leading to the surrender of several fighters, commanders and their family members.

Military authorities believe the increasing number of defections reflects the effectiveness of ongoing counterterrorism operations and the mounting pressure being exerted on insurgent groups across the region.

Although security agencies describe the overall situation in the theatre of operations as relatively stable, they caution that the environment remains unpredictable due to the activities of fleeing terrorist elements.

Troops, however, remain on high alert and continue to conduct offensive and intelligence-driven operations aimed at eliminating the remaining pockets of insurgents and restoring lasting peace to the North-East.