3 Boko Haram leaders surrender to Nigerian troops

ABUJA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Two Boko Haram commanders and a women leader of the terror group have surrendered to Nigerian troops as the military intensifies efforts to capture remaining terrorists in the country's northeast region.

In a statement on Saturday, Nigeria's military commander in the northeast Rogers Nicholas said the group's physician and some children of the terrorists also surrendered to troops during operations in the past week.

Nicholas said the Boko Haram fighters voluntarily surrendered, noting that the move was acceptable under the Safe Corridor Scheme initiated by the Nigerian government to encourage terrorists to lay down their arms.

Ali Musa, the terror group's physician, told the military that his life had been "damaged" by the group's activities, saying he was led to join Boko Haram by its leaders.

Musa also said he conducted surgical operations such as bullet extraction, appendix, treatment of wounded fighters, antenatal and post-natal services in the group's camp.

The surrendered terrorists would be engaged in deradicalization, rehabilitation and skill acquisition training program for re-integration into the society by the Nigerian government, according to military authorities. Enditem