Six suspected Boko Haram members and their relatives have surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, as sustained military operations continue to intensify across terrorist strongholds in the Mandara Mountains.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, by Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI.
According to the military, the first pair surrendered to troops of D Company, 192 Battalion (Motorised), at about 6:00 a.m. on July 4, 2026.
The individuals were identified as 65-year-old Hamman Zaha and his 55-year-old wife, Falmatu Yahaya. During initial questioning, they reportedly told security personnel they had escaped from the Guduf-Bubayagwa terrorist enclave located in the Mandara Mountains.
Security operatives also recovered N943,000 from the couple at the time they surrendered.
Less than an hour later, another group of four individuals turned themselves in to troops of C Company, 192 Battalion (Motorised), also operating in Gwoza.
The group comprised Ali Garba, 31, Ismail Yakubu, 27, Aisha Musa, 60, and Amina Garba, 50. They informed investigators that they had fled the Chikide terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains.
The individuals explained that persistent military offensives, worsening living conditions, and shortages of essential supplies within the insurgent camp forced them to abandon the enclave.
During the operation, troops recovered two Tecno mobile phones and N593,500 from the second group.
Military authorities disclosed that all six individuals have undergone preliminary screening and documentation and are currently in the custody of the 192 Battalion (Motorised) for further investigation.
The military added that the two adult male suspects, believed to have maintained links with Boko Haram, will face additional interrogation. Investigators are also seeking to determine the source of the more than N1.5 million recovered from both groups and establish whether the funds were connected to terrorist operations or logistics.
Operation HADIN KAI said the latest surrender reflects the increasing pressure being placed on Boko Haram hideouts in the Mandara Mountains through sustained ground offensives, a strategy that continues to compel insurgents and their family members to abandon their camps as security forces intensify counterterrorism operations in Nigeria’s North-East.
