Insurgency: Boko Haram commander surrenders, says he led Chibok Girls’ abduction

The Leader of Boko Haram’s squads that abducted the Chibok girls in 2014, Auwal Ismaeela, has surrendered and confessed to leading the squads who abducted about 280 secondary school girls.

Ismaeela said he was tired of the “senseless” atrocities of the insurgent group, hence his decision to surrender.

The Boko Haram commander said he regretted his actions and that he was cooperating with the Nigerian military with information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders.

He said he was “brainwashed and misled” to abduct and kill people, adding that he could no longer stand the atrocities “contrary to the teachings of Islam” which were being carried out by the insurgents.
His words;

I 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 barracks, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi, and Mubi. 

In Madagali which was 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 was almost got burnt. Even at that, I did not stop fighting for the course.

Sheikh Shekau ordered that I should be given a tricycle which I continued to use for various operations before I eventually surrendered. 

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 sorts 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 every day 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.” Andrew Orolua, Abuja