Two key commanders of the extremist group Boko Haram have surrendered to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) operating in the Lake Chad Basin, MNJTF announced on Tuesday.
The MNJTF said the duo of Ibrahim Muhammed and Auwal Muhammed, alias “Wanka,” surrendered on Monday, March 25th. Both individuals were active commanders within the Bakoura Buduma faction, a Boko Haram splinter group.
“The two individuals, active commanders operating in the Lake Chad Islands, decided to surrender amid mounting pressure from ongoing military actions,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, the MNJTF’s Chief Military Public Information Officer.
During preliminary investigations, Ibrahim Muhammed and Auwal Muhammed revealed their affiliation with the Bakoura Buduma faction for more than 15 years, operating from Kwallaram in the Lake Chad Islands.
“This breakthrough is a testament to the relentless efforts of the MNJTF and the unwavering commitment of national forces contributing to the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin,” said MNJTF spokesperson Abdullahi. “We urge other members of terrorist groups to follow suit and abandon their violent cause.”
The MNJTF, a combined force of troops from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and Benin, has been instrumental in combating the Boko Haram insurgency since its formation in 2015. The group continues to conduct operations aimed at dismantling the terrorist organization and restoring peace to the Lake Chad Basin.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
