The wife and son of a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) finance operative have surrendered to Nigerian troops in Borno State.
Security sources said the woman, identified as Aisha Musa, 27, and her 11-year-old son turned themselves in to troops of Operation HADIN KAI on July 29 through Kusuma Village.
Their surrender comes days after the ISWAP commander, described as a key finance operative, laid down his arms alongside two children on July 25 amid intensified military operations in the North-East.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect had instructed his family to flee the insurgents’ enclave if he successfully escaped.
Military sources said the woman and her child have been screened and taken into custody for profiling in line with standard procedures.
The development is part of a growing wave of defections by insurgents and their families, as sustained offensives by Operation HADIN KAI continue to weaken ISWAP and Boko Haram strongholds in the region.
