Borno Leaders Forgive 3,000 Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists

Group leaders in Borno State, on Sunday, agreed to the return of repentant Boko Haram terrorists into their communities.

The choice was taken at a stakeholders assembly to debate the prevailing safety state of affairs within the state.

The assembly was organised by the federal government of Borno State.

The Borno authorities confirmed that not less than 3,000 individuals who had been members of the armed opposition group have laid down their arms and surrendered to the Nigerian army.

Governor Babagana Zulum, who presided over the assembly, disclosed that other than the three,000 ex-terrorists at the moment within the custody of the federal government, one other 900 confirmed members of Boko Haram have surrendered to the Cameroonian forces.

Governor Zulum mentioned the stakeholders assembly grew to become mandatory following the combined reactions that just lately trailed the mass give up of former Boko Haram fighters.

Mr Zulum mentioned the federal government wanted to contain all stakeholders in Borno within the decision-making course of on cope with the repentant insurgents.

Numerous stakeholders on the assembly which lasted 5 hours introduced their views on how the previous terrorists ought to be accepted and handled in society.

On the finish of the assembly, which was attended by many authorities functionaries, spiritual and conventional rulers, safety operatives and members of the civil society, the gathering issued a communique detailing their resolve to just accept the repentant insurgents. They, nevertheless, gave situations that have to be met earlier than the remorseful terrorists are accepted into varied communities.

Key audio system on the assembly had been members of the Nationwide Meeting, state lawmakers, troopers and different representatives of security agencies, victims of the insurgency, spiritual leaders, aged residents, representatives of civic teams, in addition to representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

The 16-point communique was signed by the Borno State Lawyer Normal and Commissioner for Justice, Kaka-Shehu Lawan.

In line with the communique, the stakeholders known as on the federal and state authorities to “deal with the difficulty of repentant Boko Haram insurgents with utmost care and inside the instrumentality of the legislation.

The assembly emphasised the necessity for “correct profiling of the repentant Boko Haram insurgents to keep away from hasty launch of hardening components to the bigger society.”

They known as on Borno residents to “key into the academic alternatives created by the state authorities particularly by enrolling their kids and wards to colleges as a countermeasure for indoctrination.”

The assembly additionally agreed on the necessity for the institution of a world-class deradicalization/rehabilitation centre in Borno State being the epicentre of the insurgency.

The stakeholders, nevertheless, known as on the Nigeria army “to maintain the continuing offensive on the actions of ISWAP”.

Whereas calling for a periodic media briefing on the actions of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists as a way of retaining the general public abreast of developments, the attendees additionally insisted that “all firearms and offensive weapons utilized by the insurgents be retrieved from them.”

Throughout the assembly, one of many audio system, a district head, who recognized himself as a “direct sufferer of Boko Haram” having witnessed the killing of his elder brother by the insurgents, mentioned although they’re in tune with the resolve to welcome and obtain the insurgents, “it will be very troublesome” for them to persuade different members of their communities to forgive and settle for them until the federal government launched into severe sensitization “on the necessity to forgive and neglect.”