Two Boko Haram commanders and the insurgents’ physician have surrendered to Nigerian Army.

According to the Army, a woman leader of the insurgents’ group and three children also surrendered to the troops at Kumshe in Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major-General Rogers Nicholas said this when he presented the surrendered insurgents in Maiduguri, saying the insurgents voluntarily surrendered.

Nicholas said the move was acceptable under the Safe Corridor Scheme initiated by Federal Government to encourage the insurgents to lay down their arms.

The theatre commander said the military initiated contact with the insurgents to encourage them to surrender, saying more insurgents had indicated their interest to lay down their arms.

He said “we had a contact group and two insurgents’ commanders, a local doctor and their women leader and their children surrendered to the troops.

“We gave them clothes, food and medication and assured them of safety: we are not killing anybody.

“Our duty is to protect lives and property, we call on the insurgents in the bush to come out, surrender and join the peace building process.”

He said the surrendered insurgents would be engaged in deradicalisation, rehabilitation and skill acquisition training programme for possible integration into the society.

In their submission, the insurgents’ physician, Ali Musa, said he conducted surgical operations such as bullet extraction, appendix, treatment of wounded insurgents, ante natal and post-natal services in the camp.

Ali said he was indoctrinated and misled by the sect leaders, adding that the sect activities had damaged his life.

One of the insurgents’ commanders, Umar Ibrahim, said he surrendered voluntarily as he became fed up with the group’s inhuman activities.

Ibrahim said hundreds of insurgents were willing to surrender to the troops but their leaders prevented them from doing so, calling on other insurgents to surrender and commended the military for taking care of them.