Residents of Borno State have expressed fears over the surrender of over 1,000 Boko Haram terrorists to Nigerian troops and the kid-glove treatments they were receiving from government.
Many, including traditional rulers and religious leaders, who spoke to The Guardian, stated that their fears were based on the earlier de-radicalisation of 603 repentant terrorists by the Nigerian Army under its Safe Corridor programme in Gombe State, adding that it would be difficult for them to reintegrate the repentant terrorists into their communities.
Speaking with The Guardian, yesterday, on the rate at which the terrorists have been surrendering to troops lately and their possible reintegration into the society, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, said, “their surrender to the military was a welcome development to both the state government and victims of terrorism.”
He said the same applies to the seven other emirates in the state, adding that: “Many people were killed and their properties destroyed for 12 years. And you people and the media expect us to forget and forgive the repentant terrorists?” He noted that residents and the Army still doubted the genuineness of the terrorists’ surrender from the Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region.
He also added that a cache of arms and ammunition were recovered on the fringes of forest and shores of the lake. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, has also reaffirmed his stand against blanket amnesty for repentant Boko Haram fighters. Residents of Kaduna State, which has suffered serious attacks by bandits in recent months, also expressed reservations over the spate of surrender by the terrorists, saying it could be a ploy to penetrate the society and wreak further havoc.
Another resident of Kaduna, Mr. Bolake Alabelewe, however, said there was nothing wrong in government pardoning the terrorists, adding that his concern was whether the government has the capability to rehabilitate them before reintegration in the society. “I am sure when that is being done, this issue of pampering them will not come up at all. Therefore, let them declare them terrorists and their group recognised as a major world terror group, thereafter we would begin to consider what approach they have been using.
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