NIGERIA: Borno Reintegrates 720 Repentant Terrorists After Rehabilitation

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

The Borno State Government has reintegrated 720 repentant insurgents into society after they completed a deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme under the state’s non-kinetic counter-insurgency initiative.

The beneficiaries, described as low-risk and minor clients under Batch 9 of the programme, were sworn in using the Holy Quran before returning to their respective communities across the state.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri on Friday, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Babagana Zulum, Brigadier General Ishaq Abdullahi (retd.), said the initiative had become a model for peacebuilding since its inception in July 2021.

“It has been a success story since 5th July 2021 when the good people of Borno State, under the stewardship of our dynamic leader, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, agreed to forgive and accept their sons who are willing to drop arms and embrace peace,” Abdullahi stated.

He disclosed that more than 350,000 persons had voluntarily surrendered to the military under the programme, while the latest batch brought the total number of rehabilitated and reintegrated former insurgents to 9,680 across nine batches.

Abdullahi explained that participants underwent counselling, Islamic teachings, hygiene education, drug abuse awareness and vocational training in skills such as carpentry, tailoring, metal works, phone repairs and solar installation to prepare them for life after rehabilitation.

“The camps’ administrators kept them busy with various programmes geared towards deradicalisation and preparing them for life after camp,” he said.

He added that the state government provided starter packs for beneficiaries and urged them to become law-abiding citizens committed to promoting peace and development in their communities.