The Nigerian military has said that an alleged senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
It described the development as part of a growing wave of disarmament following intensified military offensives across the North-East.
According to Acting Military Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Ka, Mohammed Goni, the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Musa Usman, reportedly surrendered alongside his two sons, 10-year-old Abubakar Musa, and 15-year-old Awwali Musa, on July 25 along the Ladari–Jegarawaji–Tunokalia corridor on the Gamboru–Wulgo main supply route.
“Acting on the intelligence, troops of 3 Battalion (Mechanised), in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hybrid Forces, mobilised and intercepted the terrorist at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25,” the report reads.
He added that Musa was among 46 alleged terrorists and their family members who voluntarily laid down their arms amid sustained land and air operations targeting insurgent strongholds in the region.
“Items recovered from him include one AK-47 rifle, four AK-47 magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one motorcycle, and ₦40,000 in cash,” he added.
According to the military, it acted on the information, troops of 3 Battalion, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hybrid Forces, intercepted the suspect at about 6:45 a.m. before taking him into custody.
“Acting on the intelligence, troops of 3 Battalion (Mechanised), in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Hybrid Forces, mobilised and intercepted the terrorist at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25,” the report reads.
During preliminary interrogation, the military alleged that Usman served as the chief finance officer of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he was responsible for managing the group’s finances, logistics and resource distribution.
The military said Usman and his children are currently undergoing profiling and interrogation to obtain intelligence that could support ongoing operations against remaining ISWAP fighters and their support networks.
The military said the development reflected the impact of sustained military pressure on insurgent groups operating in the North-East, while urging the public to continue providing credible intelligence to security agencies.
The ICIR reported that in May 2026, the military announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki during a joint operation with the United States after Trump publicly announced the operation.
The announcement drew scrutiny because the Defence Headquarters had reported in April 2024 that a commander using the same alias had already been killed.
Military authorities later clarified that the two reports referred to different individuals, explaining that Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders frequently adopt identical aliases to complicate intelligence gathering.
The Presidency similarly described the earlier report as a case of mistaken identity.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.