No fewer than 25 family members of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’adati wal-Jihad (JAS) fighters have surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to military sources, the development follows intensified counter-terrorism operations in the region, which have led to the killing of three fighters and the arrest of 17 suspects, with assorted weapons recovered.
Troops of 202 Battalion, on August 11, 2025, received the surrender of 25 individuals — comprising 12 adult females and 13 children — from Zalmari, Gazuwa, and Alafa villages. They are currently undergoing profiling to determine their level of involvement with the insurgent groups.
On the same day, troops of 233 Battalion, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force, laid an ambush along the Sassawa–Kaburu axis in Damaturu LGA of Yobe State, killing one terrorist and recovering an AK-47 rifle.
In a separate operation in Zamfara State, troops of 1 Brigade Combat Team 5 repelled a planned terrorist attack on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Galadi, Shinkafi LGA, killing one assailant and seizing a mobile phone.
Further north-west, on August 12, acting on intelligence from a rescued kidnap victim, troops launched a raid on Gremasa Mountain in Shanga LGA of Kebbi State, targeting suspected bandit hideouts.
Military authorities say the sustained operations are part of a broader push to weaken terrorist networks, cut off their supply routes, and encourage more surrenders in the region.
