Over 1,500 persons who have so far surrendered to troops of the Nigerian military in Borno State, are members of Boko Haram and not the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorist sect, PRNigeria has reliably gathered.
PRNigeria had reported how top Commanders, fighting insurgents of Boko Haram-ISWAP and their family members, including women and children, surrendered to troops in Bama, Gwoza, Mafa, and Konduga, among other axes, in the North East.
The ex-insurgents, after quitting their terrorists turned in themselves, their families and ammunition to military authorities.
But credible intelligence has revealed that ISWAP fighters, unlike their Boko Haram counterparts, have refused to renounced their extremist ideology and religious terrorism ‘way’.
Findings by PRNigeria have further indicated that the ISWAP hierarchy, whose camps are located in swamps and isolated communities in the Lake Chad region, have rejected the unofficial ‘amnesty deal’ offered by Nigerian troops, which have been receiving other surrendered Boko Haram ex-members, in recent weeks.
Corroborating PRNigeria’s investigation, a military intelligence officer stationed in the North East, said those who have so far surrendered to troops in various parts of Borno State, are not ISWAP, but former Boko Haram members.
In a related development, public outrage over the decision by relevant authorities to profile and then ‘enlist’ repentant terrorists into deradicalization programmes have compelled some Boko Haram insurgents who renounced their sect, to go into hidden.
It was learnt by PRNigeria that some Boko Haram members, who had quit their extremist organisation doidnot want to hand themselves over to the military troops. But they presented their wives, children and other family members, who surrendered on their behalf.