Son of ISWAP founder surrenders to security agents in Borno
Mahmud Mamman Nur Albarnawy, son of the founder of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorist group has turned himself to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Mahmud was said to have surrendered on Sunday, May 12, 2024.
Sources from the intelligence community, according to Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, confirmed that Mahmud Mamman Nur Albarnawy was indeed the eldest son of the late ISWAP founder after undergoing a detailed examination at the NSCDC Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.
The sources disclosed that personnel from the command facilitated his surrender through his uncle in Gamborun Ngala after receiving information that he was willing to formally surrender to the Nigerian authorities.
They also mentioned that a trustworthy agent was sent to bring him, and they arrived in Maiduguri on May 11, around 1pm.
“Mahmud was later interviewed and investigated by an intelligence officer from the command, during which he admitted to sneaking out of the Ali Ngulde camp in Mandara Mountain, Gwoza LGA, into Maiduguri.
He stayed in Gwange city for about a month before relocating to Gamboru Ngala without raising any suspicions from the local community.
“While in Gamboru Ngala, some followers of his late father tried to convince him to return to the Lake Chad region to pledge loyalty to ISWAP, but he refused, citing the betrayal and execution of his father.
“He also confessed to taking part in attacks in Bama, Banki, Gwoza, and other locations as a mid-level fighter under the Boko Haram group.
“Mahmud was then transferred to the Bulunkutu rehabilitation facility for further processing and custody,” the source stated.
Back in 2013, top leaders of Boko Haram sect; Muhammad Yusuf, including Mamman Nur, Khalid Albarnawi, Abubakar Shekau, Kaka Ali, Mustapha Chad, Abu Maryam, and Abu Krimima, were forced to leave Maiduguri due to increased pressure from the Joint Security Forces.
Subsequently, they regrouped in Sambisa forest and continued their violent activities through coordinated attacks. They later transformed the group into a terrorist organisation.
An internal conflicts among the terrorists led to the split between Boko Haram and ISWAP, with the latter moving to the Lake Chad region to establish a caliphate with Mamman Nur as its new leader.
Following Mamman Nur’s death in a mutiny led by Abou Mossab Albarnawyy in August 2018, Abou-Mossab Albarnawyy emerged as the new leader of ISWAP.
