The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno State says about 40 Boko Haram insurgents have indicated willingness to surrender to the Corps.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the state's Commandant, Ibrahim Abdullahisaid that the insurgents had indicated their intention to renounce membership of the terrorist group but through an intermediary.

He said that negotiations between the command and the insurgents were conducted through a firewood vendor.

He also said that six insurgents had earlier surrendered to the Corps in the last one month in the state.

The commandant stated that the extremists surrendered voluntarily under the Federal Government’s Safe Corridor Initiative (SCI).

“About 40 of the insurgents have come forward to surrender. They indicated that many of them are willing to lay down their arms,” Abdullahi said.

According to him, the command has also conducted town hall meetings with communities and religious leaders to enhance security in the state.

NAN report that hundreds of the insurgents had surrendered to the Nigerian Army under the SCI in the past three months.

The surrendered insurgents are currently undergoing de-radicalisation process at the Military Rehabilitation Centre, Gombe, to facilitate their reintegration into the society. (NAN)