Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state; has said that 3,900 Boko Haram repentant terrorists are to be integrated into various communities of the state. According to him, out of the surrendered insurgents, 900 are being repatriated from Cameroon for further profiling by the Nigerian Army. Zulum disclosed this Sunday in Maiduguri at a Stakeholders’ meeting on how to accept and profile” the repentant insurgents, before integrating them into society.
“The Stakeholders today (Saturday) have to strategize and consider the short and long term implications of their agreements for a framework that could be thought out for implementation,” he said. He lamented that the people affected in the 12-year terrorism are the people of the state. He noted that over 100,000 women and children were widowed and orphaned from the various communities across the state. A communique, according to him, will also be issued on the critical Boko Haram repentant terrorists surrender to the Army.
He said that a network should be established for the receipt of public complaints and suggestions to reintegrate the repentant terrorists. While speaking on the reintegration, The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi advocated for a reconciliation process that could lead to forgiveness; before reintegrating the repentant insurgents. There were 18 organisations and associations, including the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), representatives of the National Assembly, Army, NCWS, Borno Elders’ Forum, NBA, CAN and the Muslim community that presented their positions on the reintegration of repentant terrorists.
The representatives of the NBA said that reintegration of terrorists would be based on the Geneva Convention, of which Nigeria is a signatory. He said the justice system be adopted in the reintegration processes. “The State Government should allow the law to take its cause, before implementing the reintegration programme under various committees. He added that traditional and religious leaders be engaged in the sensitization for forgiveness for the repentant terrorists. “The livelihoods of the Boko Haram victims, which cut across the state; should also be incorporated into the reintegration programme,” he said.
