Gov Zulum says 30,000 terrorists have surrendered to military

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum says so far, no less than 30,000 terrorists have laid down their arms and surrendered to the military.

Zulum while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, February 10, 2022, said his government is working with the Federal Government to manage the ongoing surrender by the insurgents.

He said bringing an end to terrorism in the country would be a reality with the support of the Federal Government.

The governor, who expressed happiness over the gradual return of peace in Borno said he was in the State House to inform President Muhammadu Buhari on the ongoing massive defection of Boko Haram members and the plights of the Internally Displaced People in his state.

“This time around, we have also started witnessing defection of ISWAP members. This is a welcome development. Under closed-door session, we discussed a lot of issues on how the government of Borno State, as well as the federal government, will manage the ongoing surrender by the insurgents,” Zulum said.

Asked whether ISWAP members were among terrorists who have surrendered, the governor said, “As at now, we have received nothing less than 30,000 from beginning to date from both Boko Haram and ISWAP. ISWAP, we have started receiving them in few numbers, but Boko Haram, we have started receiving them in huge numbers.”

Governor Zulum maintained that his administration’s effort to dialogue with the terrorists has been yielding positive results.

He said, “As I’ve been saying before, the kinetic measures alone will never end the insurgency, the social and political dimension of this crisis is very important.

“So, we have decided to engage them through dialogue and mediation with a view to ensuring that many of them lay their arms down and so far, so good, the objective has started yielding positive result.

“Apart from this also, in Borno State, for example, as I told you last time, we have problem in the shores of the Lake Chad, as well as in the Southern Borno. I’m pleased to inform you that there was a very heavy military deployment into the Southern Borno and I hope such deployment will also take place in Northern Borno, to be able to clear ISWAP on the shores of Lake Chad. So, this has also yielded positive results.

Asked why the terrorists are surrendering, the governor said the Government of Borno State, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the military work in close collaboration to ensure that those willing to surrender were given the opportunity to do so.