At least 17 persons linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have surrendered to Nigerian Army troops in Borno State amid reported internal clashes and worsening conditions in terrorist enclaves.
The surrender involved women, children and a suspected ISWAP fighter who separately fled terrorist-controlled areas and sought safety with the military between September 19 and 25, 2026.
The incidents were recorded in Dikwa, Bama and Ngala Local Government Areas of the state.
On September 19, a woman believed to be a terrorist family member arrived at Checkpoint 1 along the Dikwa-Ajiri road with her two children. Troops of the 24 Task Force Brigade took them into custody for screening.
Two days later, another woman and her child surrendered at the same military checkpoint after fleeing the Yaganari terrorist enclave to Gonori village in Mafa Local Government Area.
She told investigators that factional fighting within the terrorist group forced her to escape. She also identified her husband, Bakura Modu, as an ISWAP fighter.
Later that day, three more terrorist family members surrendered to troops of the 151 Battalion at Bula Daloye in Bama.
The military also recorded the surrender of a suspected terrorist on September 24.
The man reportedly escaped from a terrorist camp in Gargash before reaching the military checkpoint on the Dikwa-Ajiri road.
Seven other terrorist family members surrendered at the Arabic IDP Camp in Ngala on the same day. They were handed over to camp officials for further management.
Another woman and her son surrendered to troops in Bama on September 25. She said she fled a terrorist camp in Bula Daloye because of internal disagreements and hardship within the enclave.
The woman identified herself as a native of Bula Daloye and said she was married to an ISWAP fighter, Ibrahim Usman.
Military authorities have kept the surrendered persons under screening, investigation or appropriate camp management, depending on their circumstances.
The latest surrenders point to continued disruption within some terrorist enclaves as military operations put pressure on fighters and their support networks across Borno State.