Military leaves door open to Shekau’s surrender

The Nigerian Military says it will accept the offer of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, to surrender.

It said that if Shekau follows the laid down procedures for surrendering during conflict or war, the military will profile him according to international standard.

The Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, disclosed this on Friday during an interview on Channels TV, saying: “Shekau’s recently released videos are subjected to forensic analysis. There are rumours that they are ready to surrender. If the insurgents truly want to surrender, there is a procedure to do that. If he (Shekau) surrenders through the procedure, we will accept it,” he said

The Military authorities recently said that with the grand offensive mounted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria against Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP), the body language of  Shekau, is that of surrender.

This comes as the military through the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, said it destroyed compounds housing Boko Haram terrorists’ leaders at Bulawa in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.

In a statement signed by Major General Enenche, the air strikes were executed on 21 April based on credible human intelligence reports as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions that led to the identification of the target compounds within the settlement.

He said fighter jets dispatched by the Air Task Force to take out the compounds accurately hit the target area leading to the destruction of some of the structures as well as the neutralization of some of the terrorists occupying the compounds.

He noted that Boko Haram fighters, who attempted to reposition to engage the attacking aircraft, were mopped-up in follow-on attacks by the jets.

Boko Haram have been dealt a series of crippling blows in recent weeks by the Nigerian military, swopping in after the Chadian army retreated to their territory.

Shekau had called for his troops not to surrender in an audio message, but it was seen as a marked shift in tone from previous clips released by the Jihadist.