The Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa, says a total of 129,417 Boko Haram terrorists and their family members surrendered to security forces between July 10 and December 9, 2024.
The CDS made this revelation at the ongoing 18th Africa Security Watch Conference in Doha, Qatar, with the theme, ‘Developing Modules for People-Centric Governance Towards Enhancement of Peace and Security’.
The event, monitored by Daily Trust, was organised by Mr Patrick Agbambu of Security Watch Africa Initiative.
Musa disclosed that the figure comprised 30,426 fighters, as well as 36,774 women and 62,265 children.
The conference drew participants from Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, South Africa, Kenya and Qatar.
Musa explained that the achievement underscores the progress towards an increasingly peaceful society that promotes socio-economic development in Nigeria.
The CDS said that the nexus between citizen’s socio-economic development and national defence attributed the surge in terrorist surrenders to the Armed Forces’ effective integration of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
According to him, the strategy had not only stabilised communities but also created an environment conducive to socio-economic progress, stressing that the increasingly frequent surrenders signify the fruitful impact of our comprehensive approach.
Musa added: “We have made significant progress in fostering a peaceful society that guarantees improved socio-economic conditions for our citizens. While challenges remain, we are not where we were as of June 2023.”
He said that the Armed Forces’ contributions to socio-economic development, such as boosting daily oil production, reducing attacks on vulnerable communities, and enhancing stability through innovative operational strategies, stemmed from a recalibration of tactics, techniques and procedures, ensuring that both kinetic operations and people-centred initiatives worked in tandem.
Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (Rtd), the immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, who spoke on leadership as an agent of positive change in security, noted that the critical role of purposeful and compassionate leadership is driven by a genuine sense of purpose.
Speaking on his tenure in the Nigerian Navy, he said his focus on personnel welfare and collective strength under the motto ‘Onward Together’ yielded transformative results in naval operations and contributed significantly to national security.
The National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, provided an overview of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
He revealed that the prosecution of terrorists had advanced, with five phases of trials yielding 505 convictions, while the sixth phase was underway.
Represented by Brigadier General SK Usman (Rtd), he described the country’s journey as one of resilience, adaptation and significant progress amidst persistent challenges.
Laka pointed to key military successes, such as reclaiming territories previously controlled by Boko Haram and ISWAP, the neutralisation of high-profile insurgent leaders like Abubakar Shekau, and the increasing rate of surrenders under Operation HADIN KAI.