Four ISWAP Members Surrender Exposed Terrorist Enclave in Marte
By Zagazola Makama
Four members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have surrendered to Nigerian troops after becoming disillusioned by harsh conditions as a result of intensified military operations in terrorist camp in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
The surrendered individuals, according to an information obtained by Zagazola Makama, included two adults and two minors who said they had been abducted and forced into the terrorist group at different locations in Borno State.
Sources identified them as Isha Bukar, 19, from Gamboru Ngala; Abubakar Alkali, 25, from Monguno; Tijani Mele, 15, from Dikwa; and Abubakar Mohammed Mairiga, 24, from Damboa.
Bukar told investigators that he was abducted about a year ago by his elder brother, a member of ISWAP, and taken to the Arinna Chiki terrorist camp in Marte.
Alkali, from Monguno town, said he was abducted by ISWAP fighters while working on his farm at Buluwa village in Marte Local Government Area. Mele, 15, said he was abducted by his brother while fetching firewood around Gudunbali General Area in Guzamala.
Mairiga, a fisherman from Damboa, said he was abducted by ISWAP fighters while fishing at Dowoshi in Kukawa Local Government Area.
The four later escaped from the terrorist enclave and surrendered to troops.
According to military sources , sustained military airstrikes and psychological operations contributed to worsening conditions inside the terrorist camp.
The four reportedly became increasingly disillusioned after the military sustained operations which disrupted the group’s activities and made life inside the enclave increasingly difficult.
“Survival in such condition was newly impossible,”one of them said.
They subsequently navigated their way out of the camp before surrendering to troops and were later moved to Headquarters Sector 3 for further processing and interrogation.
The former ISWAP members said they were from Arinna Chiki camp of ISWAP located in Marte Local Government Area and described it as a major terrorist enclave.
The camp, according to the sources was headed by individuals identified as Abu Salim and Abu Riana, supported by other commanders described as lieutenants. The camp is reportedly divided into several sections or settlements, including Gari Ba’amfani, Mujiza, Guzuma, Sabon Tumbu, Yates Kura and Latimer.
According to the former fighters, weapons were issued to members when they were preparing to embark on operations and returned to the leadership afterwards.
The former fighters said the group was involved in attacks across several parts of Borno State, particularly Monguno, Marte, Ngoshe and Gamboru Ngala. They also disclosed that the group conducted attacks across the border in Cameroon.
They further revealed that ISWAP relied heavily on criminal activities and attacks on civilians to sustain its logistics.
The terrorists were said to obtain supplies mainly through attacks on commuters and farming activities, further exposing the impact of the group’s activities on civilian livelihoods and movement across the region.
The four surrendered individuals also admitted that they had remained active fighters until their decision to leave the group.
The latest development comes amid sustained military pressure against terrorist groups in the North-East through coordinated ground operations, airstrikes and psychological operations aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and encouraging fighters and their associates to abandon the insurgency.
