Seventeen family members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction linked to terrorist activities in the North-East, have surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
The development was disclosed by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Muhammed Goni, in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to Goni, 16 of the family members surrendered in Konduga Local Government Area, while one other person surrendered in Bama Local Government Area.
He said the surrendered individuals are currently in military custody undergoing preliminary profiling and debriefing.
The statement attributed the surrender to sustained military operations against terrorist groups in the North-East region.
“Sustained offensive operations by troops of Operation Hadin Kai have continued to exert significant pressure on terrorist elements operating across the North-East theatre, resulting in the voluntary surrender of 17 family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad in separate incidents in Borno State,” the statement read.
The military spokesperson explained that the first incident occurred at about 9:15 a.m. on August 4, 2026, when 16 JAS family members, comprising 10 women and six children, surrendered to troops of the 222 Battalion during a patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area.
During preliminary debriefing, the individuals reportedly said the continued pressure from military operations on terrorist hideouts influenced their decision to surrender.
The military also disclosed that N92,000 was recovered from the group during the process.
In a related development, Goni said an 11-year-old JAS family member surrendered at about 12:04 p.m. on the same day to troops of the 202 Battalion under Sector 1 in Bama Local Government Area.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.