OPHK Scores Major Breakthrough as Top ISWAP Commanders Surrender, Shurah Council Member Killed

The military's counter-terrorism efforts in the North-East have recorded another major breakthrough as two high-profile commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) amid sustained military offensives against terrorist strongholds.

The surrendered commanders, identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, reportedly laid down their arms on June 8, 2026, and are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and debriefing.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, preliminary investigations revealed that the two terrorists occupied strategic positions within the insurgent group's hierarchy and operated around the Mangari axis of the Lake Chad region.

The military disclosed that Ismail Mohammed was a close associate of a senior ISWAP leader, Baa Shuwa, and possessed extensive knowledge of the group's command structure and operational activities. Abu Umar, on the other hand, was described as a highly skilled explosives expert responsible for the fabrication and maintenance of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and other combat-support equipment used by the terrorist group.

The statement further revealed that intelligence gathered during interrogation confirmed the elimination of another high-profile terrorist figure, Mohammed Khalifa, a member of the ISWAP Shurah Council, during recent joint military operations conducted by Operation HADIN KAI.

Military authorities described the surrender of the two commanders as a significant setback for ISWAP, citing their influence, experience, and technical expertise accumulated over several years within the terrorist network.

The development, according to OPHK, reflects the effectiveness of sustained offensive operations by Nigerian troops, supported by allied partners through precision strikes on terrorist enclaves across the theatre of operations.

"The combined pressure from these operations continues to degrade terrorist capabilities, weaken their operational networks, and compel increasing numbers of insurgents to surrender," the statement noted.

Operation HADIN KAI added that the latest surrender underscores growing desperation and declining morale among terrorist fighters as continuous military pressure denies them freedom of movement and safe havens.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining aggressive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist leadership structures, disrupting operational capabilities, and restoring lasting peace and stability to communities affected by insurgency in the North-East.

Lieutenant Colonel Sani emphasized that Operation HADIN KAI would continue to exploit all available opportunities to neutralise terrorist threats and strengthen security across the region.