Forty-seven Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered to the MultiNational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) troops in the Lake Chad and its environs, as a result of failed promises, emerging crises among terrorist group leadership, and ethnic barriers, according to NAN

Col. Timothy Antigha, Chief of Military Public Information MNJTF N’Djamena Chad, confirmed this in a statement on Friday, July 24, saying the terrorists surrendered with their families recently in Sector 1 of the MNJTF.

Antigha, following the confession of the terrorists, revealed that recent incessant power tussle in the leadership of the terrorist groups, ethnic tension and failure to fulfil the promises made by the leaders inline with the core value of establishment of a caliphate in the Sahel among others, intensified the massive surrender of members. 

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He said a member of the group, (identity withheld), who admitted to having participated in various attacks on areas such as Banki, Fotokol, Gambarou Ngala, New Marte, Chikun Gudu, among others, had expressed frustration with the lack of progress in the jihad caused by the pre-occupation of the leadership in the pursuit of material things.

“They told us that we were being lied to and cheated by apostate governments, but I have not seen any difference between Shekau and those he has been condemning. He may even be worse. 

“I am having it a lot better here because since we came out of the bush, we have been fed and catered for, the surrendered terrorist said.

Antigha further disclosed that another surrendered terrorist claimed that he was misled to kill innocent people, for which he might face physical and spiritual condemnation, adding that there is ethnic rivalry among members of Boko Haram and ISWAP

“If you do not speak a particular language, you can not be appointed a commander or made a guard in the bush, you can not even be allowed to go for tax collection.

“This discriminatory attitude has made some of us feel that we are not trusted and good enough to be given responsibilities,” the terrorist revealed.

The spokesperson also disclosed that a female member of the group lamented the severe abuse of women in the camps and prayed that no woman should find herself in the situation she recently escaped from.

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“Those people are ungodly, so they can not tell the world that they are doing the will of Allah,” she said.

Antigha said that the MNJTF has been consistent in its observation that Boko Haram and ISWAP are transnational criminal enterprises which have been sustained by grand deception, appeal to religious sentiments and violence.

“The force is therefore vindicated by the testimonies of the surrendered terrorists who spoke on their own volition.

“Consequently, the MNJTF renews the call on other misled fighters in the bush to come out. It is important to add that MNJTF Troop Contributing Countries have structures and programmes in place to receive all those who surrender.

“Similarly, the MNJTF urges communities to accept repented terrorists back after their rehabilitation, even though some of them had perpetrated heinous crimes.

“The MNJTF shares in the understanding that such a gesture by communities will go a long way in the continuing efforts to defeat terrorism and build peace in the Lake Chad Basin,” he said.