At least 20 Boko Haram militants surrendered to Nigerian troops following various clearance operations in the country's northeast region, according to local security officials on Thursday.

Among them, 15 high-profile militants laid down their arms during an operation by the army and the government-backed militia, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), at Pulka village in the Gwoza area of the northeastern state of Borno, said Bashir Kaka, a CJTF leader.

Kaka said some of the Boko Haram leaders who surrendered during the operation on Wednesday were among those earlier declared wanted by the army.

A chief driver of the Boko Haram terror group was also arrested during the operation, he said.

Aminu Iliyasu, a spokesman of the army in Borno, told Xinhua that five additional militants had surrendered to troops in Gamboru Ngala and Dikwa local government areas of the state in similar operations.

The militants, Iliyasu said, had stated that they had to surrender to troops due to the severe hunger resulting from the blockade of their supply routes and arrest of their logistics suppliers and collaborators, as well as constant bombardments of their artilleries and criminal hideouts, in previous operations.

"In the northeast theatre, as troops intensify the bombardment of identified locations of Boko Haram and blockade of the militants’ crossing points and escape routes, more militants are giving up the fight and surrendering to troops." he added.

The Boko Haram is known for its agenda to maintain a virtual caliphate in the most populous African country.