At least 80 militants operating in the Calabar creeks and Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State have voluntarily surrendered their arms and ammunition to the Nigerian Army. The exercise took place on Friday at the Atimbo Rear Area of Operation OKWOK, supervised by the 13 Brigade of the Army.
The militants came from two camps. The first, led by ThankGod Ebikontei, also known as Ayibanuagha, presented 39 fighters, while the second, headed by John Isaac, popularly called Akpokolo, handed over 41 fighters. Weapons recovered included AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, a G3 rifle, a Mark 4 rifle, explosives, speedboats, and assorted ammunition.
Brigadier-General P. O. Alimikhena, Commander of the 13 Brigade, described the surrender as a significant step toward peace and stability. He emphasized that the exercise reflected the success of sustained military operations, engagement with local communities, and collaboration with the Cross River State Government.
The former militants were handed over to the state government’s Rapid Response Team and are now undergoing profiling by the Department of State Services at Calabar. The Army praised the Cross River Government for supporting peace initiatives and reaffirmed its commitment to reintegrating repentant youths while maintaining security across the state.
