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Musa Usman, an alleged senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno state.
According to Mohammed Gomi, acting military information officer, headquarters Joint Task Force (north-east) Operation Hadin Kai, Usman surrendered amid a wave of defections from terrorist camps, with about 46 terrorists and their family members voluntarily laying down their arms.
Gomi said the defection was triggered by recent sustained land and air offensives which continue to dismantle insurgent enclaves across the north-east.
Military sources explained to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, that intelligence obtained through human sources alerted troops of 24 Task Force Brigade to the planned surrender of the high-profile ISWAP member along Ladari–Jegarawaji–Tunokalia corridor on the Gamboru–Wulgo main supply route.
“Acting on the intelligence, troops of 3 Battalion (Mechanised), in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hybrid Forces, mobilised and intercepted the terrorist at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25,” the report reads.
“The surrendered insurgent was identified as Musa Usman, aged 40, who arrived with his two sons, Abubakar Musa, 10, and Awwali Musa, 15.”
The army said preliminary interrogation revealed that Usman served as the chief finance officer of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he was responsible for overseeing financial operations, logistics and resource management.
“Items recovered from him include one AK-47 rifle, four AK-47 magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle, and ₦40,000 in cash,” Makama said.
“Musa Usman and his children are currently undergoing detailed profiling and further interrogation to extract actionable intelligence that could assist ongoing operations against remaining ISWAP elements and their support networks across the theatre.”
Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security across the north-east, urging terrorists to embrace the federal government’s non-kinetic initiatives by surrendering before it is too late.
It appealed to the public to continue providing credible and timely intelligence to support counter-terrorism operations in the region
