Two leaders from the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, among them an individual believed to be an expert in vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, VBIEDs, have handed themselves over to forces participating in Operation HADIN KAI in Yobe State.
The Nigerian military revealed this in an operation summary released by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Thursday in Abuja.
As per the report, the individuals named Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar handed themselves over to the soldiers from the 159th Battalion in Geidam on June 8.
The military stated that Ismail Mohammed was among the leaders working under a terror figure called Baa Shuwa and possessed extensive information about ISWAP activities.
Abu Umar was identified as an ISWAP technician with expertise in improvised explosive devices carried by vehicles.
The document indicated that Abu Umar was thought to be aware of the sites where these explosives were manufactured and kept within ISWAP facilities.
The two individuals involved are presently held under military detention for additional inquiry.
The military revealed that soldiers detained two alleged terror sources in different actions within Borno State.
It mentioned that joint forces from the 19th Battalion, 25th Brigade Base, along with elements of the Civilian Joint Task Force, apprehended a suspect in Damboa village on June 9.
A suspect was said to have been detained while purchasing agricultural supplies and mosquito nets believed to be intended for terrorists active in the Damboa Local Government Area.
As per the report, the accused admitted during the initial inquiry about furnishing supplies and sharing intelligence with extremist groups.
He is presently under the control of Headquarters 25 Brigade for additional inquiry.
During a different operation, members of the 162 Amphibious Battalion detained an additional alleged terrorist informer around 7:00 p.m. on the same day.
The army stated that the individual was still held in military detention awaiting additional steps.
The report mentioned that soldiers also prevented a planned terror assault on a military site following the observation of suspects moving toward the area on June 9.
Soldiers carried out firing operations to eliminate the extremists and prevent them from moving freely within the operational zone.
A subsequent operation carried out on June 10 resulted in the finding of the bodies of two militants and a motorbike.
The military stated that initial evaluation indicated the corpses were already decaying, implying that the militants had been eliminated in a previous clash with soldiers in Buni Yadi.
No further objects were found during the examination of the location.