Abatcha Ngala, a vulcanizer and fighter with the Islamic State for West African Province, ISWAP, has surrendered to the Nigerian Troops along Dikwa, Ngala general area of Operations, in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.
The former fighter, who came along with his wife, explained why most of the fighters coming out were not carrying their weapons.
Saga Gist recalls that residents of Maiduguri the Borno State capital, have observed that Boko Haram fighters who have been surrendering to troops in droves were coming out of the forest without their weapons, a situation which posed a lot of questions about their sincerity.
The former fighter, who submitted himself to troops said he was a vulcanizer for the terrorists, a business he has been doing before deciding to join the terror group, which has been fighting government troops in the last 12 years.
According to Abatcha, “This is my legal wife, whom I married long before I joined the terror group. We had two children and we took them along when I joined ISWAP but those children are late now.”
Speaking on how they have been surviving Abatcha Ngala said they always received their food through Monguno town and villages around Cameroon.
According to him, they exchange food with fish.
“We used to catch fish and sell, we do not have issues getting food because we have people bringing food both within the country and across the border from Cameroon republic,” he added.
Abatcha said most of the fighters do not have their own rifles as it was only given to them whenever they are going out for Operations.
“I have never had a gun. Our leaders bring them when we are going out and they always collect them back after the operations,” he said.
Speaking on how he got out from the group and submitted himself, Abatcha said he got tired with the whole idea of the group and tried to escape at one point but he was arrested and put in prison where he spent four months before he was released.
“After my release from prison, we planned again with my friends (three of them) and decided to move out but they backed down in the end for fear.
“They asked me to go ahead that when I succeed, they too will find a way to come out. So, I took my wife and we escaped. This is why we are submitting ourselves to troops,” he said.
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