In the early hours of January 16, 2026, 80 militants voluntarily surrendered at Atimbo Rear Area, Operation OKWOK, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State.
This is part of the state government’s amnesty program, involving fighters from two notorious camps:
Ayibanuagha Camp: Led by ThankGod Ebikontei (also known as Ayibanuagha), who presented 39 fighters.
Akpokolo Camp: Led by John Isaac (known as Akpokolo), whose group, the Akpokolo Marine Forces (or Border Boys), presented 41 fighters.
Following the surrender, a range of weapons and equipment were recovered, including various firearms, ammunition, explosives, speed boats, and boat engines.
The former militants were then transferred to the Cross River State Government’s Rapid Response Team for profiling by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Calabar.