Boko Haram fighter surrenders with AK-47, 26 rounds in Borno [PHOTOS]

A 23-year-old suspected Boko Haram fighter, identified as Ali Saidiq, has surrendered to Nigerian troops in Borno State with an AK-47 rifle and 26 rounds of ammunition.

The development was disclosed in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region.

Saidiq, a native of Garere in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, surrendered on Thursday during a stop-and-search operation at Kwatan Alkama checkpoint.

The operation was conducted by troops of the 196 Amphibious Battalion and the Nigerian Army Brigade Lake Chad.

According to security sources, Saidiq voluntarily handed over an AK-47 rifle with registration number 02657 and a magazine containing 26 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition.

Preliminary investigation indicated that he decided to surrender following sustained military pressure on terrorist elements operating in the area.

Sources said the suspect had also lost interest in continuing with terrorist activities.

His surrender, according to security sources, is another indication of the impact of intensified military operations on the operational capacity and morale of terrorist fighters in the Lake Chad axis.

Saidiq is currently in military custody for profiling and further investigation to establish his role within the terrorist group, his operational history and possible links to other members of the network.

The development comes amid ongoing military efforts to disrupt terrorist operations, deny insurgents freedom of movement and encourage fighters willing to abandon terrorism to surrender.

The surrendered rifle and ammunition have been secured as investigations continue.