Looking forward to the Islamic festival of Eid-Kabir coming up by the weekend, a top Boko Haram commander, who claims to have played a major role in the abduction of Chibok girls and the killing of youths in Madagali, has surrendered and confessed to several acts of bloodletting on innocent people and destruction of property across the Northeastern part of Nigeria.
In an interview with PRNigeria at a military facility for the repentant and surrendered Boko Haram members in the Northeast, the ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity.
Ex-commander, Auwal Ismaeela is currently cooperating with the Nigerian military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the deadly sect. He regretted his actions which, according to him, ran counter to several Islamic injunctions.
Ismaeela encouraged other top commanders of the sect to give up and surrender to the military.
The ex-commander said: “Myself and Abu Hafsat, a Boko Haram commander, led other squads to abduct the Chibok girls.
“We led the operations to invade Gwoza, Bama, Limankara mobile barrack, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi, and Mubi.
“In Madagali, my home town, myself, Adam Vitiri, Abu Adam and Habu Kudama, some high-ranking Boko Haram commanders led an operation in 2014 where we killed some students and youths at the Central Secondary School in Sabon Garin Madagali.
“In one of the operations, I abducted my wife, named Maryam, who had two kids for me in Sambisa Forest.
“It is unfortunate that I was brainwashed and misled not only on some abductions but in the killings of my own people that were innocent. I wholeheartedly regret my actions.
“During a battle in Konduga where myself and other Boko Haram commanders led the operations, I lost my right leg and almost got burnt. Even at that, I did not stop fighting for the cause. Sheikh Shekau ordered that I should be given a tricycle, which I continued to use for various operations before I eventually surrendered.”
Ismaeela gave several reasons for his decision to voluntarily surrender to the Nigerian troops after realising the misleading sermons, barbaric indoctrination of the sect leaders and atrocities being committed in some of the Boko Haram camps.
He said: “I willingly surrendered to the military because I was tired of the senseless killing and fight. I realised that our people have resorted to stealing and all sort of atrocity contrary to the teaching and practice of Islam.
“Women were being raped, sometimes publicly. Children died from malnutrition and disease as the living condition became harsher. As there was no food in the camp, people died everyday because of hunger.
“I will continue to cooperate with the security agencies in providing useful information on our mode of operations and to disclose top-secret hideouts of our commanders.”
Meanwhile, more than 100 Boko Haram members and some commanders had in the recent past surrendered to the military knowing full well that their actions had become inimical to the overall interest and well-being of the nation and the surrounding countries of Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.