No fewer than 13,243 terrorists and their families have so far surrendered to troops in the North-East, the Defence Headquarters has said.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, disclosed this while giving update on the military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Onyeuko, the surrendered terrorists comprise 3,243 males, 3,868 females and 6,234 children.

Onyeuko said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai had sustained aggressive posture with vigour in the North-East, which had yielded significant results in the last two weeks.

He said the series of land and air operations conducted in different locations across the North-East theatre had reduced the operational capabilities of the insurgents with several of them being neutralised.

Onyeuko said several others were arrested alongside their informants and logistics suppliers, while more terrorists had continued to lay down their arms and surrender to the troops with their families.

“Some of these feats were recorded at Gwoza – Yamtake – Bita road, Gwoza – Farm Centre – Yamtake road, Mandara Mountain area as well as Pulka and Hambagda towns, all in Borno.

“Cumulatively, within the period, a total of 29 terrorists were neutralised and 13 terrorists including their informants/collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested in the course of the operations.

“Additionally, a total of 38 assorted weapons and 968 rounds of assorted ammunition as well as 48 rustled livestock among several other items were recovered.

“So far, a total of 13,243 terrorists and their families comprising 3,243 males, 3,868 females and 6,234 children, have surrendered to troops at different locations in the North East,” he said.

Onyeuko disclosed that the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai carried out air interdiction missions to foil Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP criminal elements’ attack on ground troops’ location at Aulari village in Bama area of Borno.

He said that the encounter led to the destruction of three gun trucks belonging to the terrorists and neutralised scores of their fighters while several others flee in disarray with varying degrees of injuries.