A woman identified as the wife of a suspected fighter of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai along with her two-month-old baby in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The woman, identified as Falmata Bakwai, surrendered to troops of the 19 Brigade at Cross Kauwa at about 10:15 a.m. on June 26, 2026.
According to security sources, Falmata told troops during preliminary debriefing that she escaped from the ISWAP enclave at Dogon Chuku while her husband and other fighters were away from the camp.
She reportedly attributed her decision to flee to worsening living conditions within the terrorist enclave, citing severe shortages of food and other basic necessities.
According to her account, the deteriorating humanitarian situation was largely caused by sustained military offensives and aerial bombardments targeting terrorist hideouts across the region.
Military sources said Falmata and her infant have been placed in quarantine and are receiving medical care in line with established operational procedures.
The sources added that debriefing is ongoing, while arrangements are being made to transfer her to the Headquarters of Sector 3, Operation Hadin Kai/Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), for further investigation, profiling and possible rehabilitation.
Security officials noted that the latest surrender reflects the sustained pressure being mounted on terrorist enclaves through coordinated ground and air operations in the North-East, which they said continues to weaken the operational capabilities of insurgent groups and encourage defections.
