3,500 Repentant Terrorists Reintegrated Into Communities In Borno 

The Special Adviser to the Borno State Government on security , Brig. Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq ( rtd)  has disclosed that about 3500 repentant terrorists out of the over 80,000 that have surrendered with their families to troops have been reintegrated into their respective communities in Borno State. 

Brig Gen. Ishaq added that the non- kinetic approach adopted by the State government as against the kinetic approach contributed immensely to the massive surrendering of the terrorists and family members which brought about the relative peace experienced presently in the State.

The Special Adviser made the disclosure on Tuesday in Maiduguri while responding to advice from some stakeholders for the repentant terrorists to be of good conduct in communities they are reintegrated at a one-day workshop organised by Peace Ambassadors Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Empowerment (PACHE) in collaboration with the Borno State Government and British Council.

Brig. Gen Ishaq while noting that peaceful coexistence with members of their communities had been the teaching of the State Government to the repentant terrorists added that family members as well as communities are besieging the camps of the repentant terrorists on Saturdays and Sundays to embrace them.

He added that 85 per cent of the repentant terrorists who are mostly farmers were forcefully conscripted into the fold of the insurgents.

” We have been training and sensitising them and all over the local government areas that they have been reintegrated, we have not recieved any report of misconduct by them. Although there are minor cases, we believe that these boys are out for good and they are sincere in their repentance. You can see them everywhere farming, working, and this is less than one and half years, look at the level of peace we have achieved compared with 13 years of kinetic approach previously used,” he said.

Speaking on the workshop titled” Mechanism For Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities and Security in Affected Communities in Borno State, the President and the Coordinator PACHE, Amb. Ahmed Shehu, said as a Civil Society , the project was an initiative to improve security service delivery, community policing and State policy on peace and security.

He said it is PACHE strategy of complementing the efforts of the Borno State government towards the victims of the insurgency and reintegration of the repentant terrorists.

” Thirteen years damages cannot be corrected in just a year. The communities are resilient and there is urgent need for all stakeholders to come on board to support the rebuilding process.

” This is not something that should be left to the State government alone, every stakeholder including the federal government need to step up and support the communities, ” Amb Shehu said.