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 in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The woman, identified as Falmata Bakwai, reportedly surrendered alongside her two-month-old baby to troops of the 19 Brigade at Cross Kauwa on June 26.

According to security sources, Falmata told the troops that she escaped from the ISWAP enclave at Dogon Chuku while her husband and other members of the terrorist group were away from the camp.

During preliminary debriefing, she reportedly said worsening living conditions within the enclave, including acute shortages of food and other basic necessities, forced her to flee with her infant.

She also attributed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the camp to sustained military offensives and aerial bombardments targeting terrorist strongholds in the North-East.

Military sources said the woman and her baby have been placed under quarantine and provided with medical care in accordance with established operational procedures.

Authorities 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 and profiling.

Security officials said the latest surrender highlights the increasing pressure being exerted on terrorist enclaves through coordinated ground and air operations, which they say continue to weaken the operational capacity of insurgent groups in the North-East.