122,000 Repentant Insurgents Have Surrendered-DHQ

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

About 122,843 insurgents have surrendered to Nigerian troops since the launch of the deradicalisation programme Operation Safe Corridor in 2015, according to the military.

The figure was disclosed during a press briefing on ongoing military operations conducted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria between 7 and 12 March 2026.

According to the briefing by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, 14 additional fighters surrendered during the reporting period in the North-East, where troops under Operation Hadin Kai continue operations against Boko Haram and fighters linked to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The military said troops also carried out ambush operations and repelled several attacks in Borno and Yobe states. In one operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, soldiers killed two suspected militants, while a separate engagement in Goniri, Yobe State, led to the killing of more than 20 fighters, including a senior commander identified as Abu Yusu.

Across other regions of the country, troops conducted operations targeting kidnapping gangs, terrorist logistics networks and criminal hideouts. In the North-West, soldiers under Operation Fansan Yamma rescued kidnapped victims along the Abuja–Kaduna road, destroyed militant enclaves in Sokoto State, and arrested suspected ammunition couriers and logistics suppliers.

In the North-Central, troops rescued several kidnapped victims in Kwara State and neutralised suspected attackers during security operations.Soldiers also intercepted a truck carrying 802 bags of ammonium sulphate in Bauchi State, a substance that can be used to manufacture explosives.

Military operations in the South-South and South-East also targeted criminal groups, illegal refining sites and improvised explosive devices planted by suspected militants.

The military said the operations demonstrate the continued pressure being mounted on armed groups across the country, adding that troops remain committed to dismantling terrorist networks and protecting communities.

Major General Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, commended troops for their resilience and thanked members of the public for providing information that supports ongoing security operations.