Shekau’s Death, Infighting Reasons For Mass Surrender Of Terrorists — Borno Commissioner

Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, has revealed that factors such as the death of the Boko Haram terrorists leader, Abubakar Shekau, who committed suicide on the May 19, 2021 when rival Islamic State of West Africa Province ( ISWAP) terrorists invaded his camp in Sambisa forest to take over command, contributed to the massive surrender of terrorists witnessed in recent times.

The Commissioner also identified infighting between terrorists of ISWAP extraction and those loyal to late Shekau, over control of enclaves, as well as the political will of the Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, through the deradicalisation model, as some of other reasons for the relative peace enjoyed presently in the State.

She made the revelation on Wednesday while responding to one of the Boko Haram survivors, Hajiya Gana, who alleged that some of their innocent men and children were detained at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri during military raids.

The Commissioner said the State government has cleared 500 suspects of involvement in terrorism and had them released from the Nigerian Army detention facility at Giwa Barracks.

Speaking during a question and answer session at a public presentation of Charters of Demand from Survivors, Victims and De-radicalised Women in Borno State, organised by an indigenous NGO, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hajiya Gambo said all those released in batches were handed over to the State Government.

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“Infighting between ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists coupled with the death of about 90 per cent of the original Boko Haram ideologists are the reasons the terrorists are laying down their arms.

“We use the Borno Model, which is community related basis where the terrorists who came out from the bush are collected by the military from where they are disarmed and taken to the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri.

“At the Hajj Camp, we invite community and religious leaders who identified unaccompanied children who are taken to rehabilitation centre in Bulunkutu. So far, over 160,000 of the terrorists who have surrendered are taken on oath by the Shehu of Borno with the Holy Qu’ran to ensure they don’t return to the bush.

“So far, we have reintegrated over 7,000 members of the terrorists to various communities and when we recalled them for biometric capturing, they all returned. The rest of the terrorists are undergoing deradicalisation at various centres, which include the Hajj Camp and Gombe. Government knows where each of the reintegrated terrorists are,” Hajiya Gambo said.

On demand from some of the survivors to stop soldiers from dispossessing them of their valuables while surrendering which were never returned to them during handover to government, the Commissioner said there was effective collaboration between the military and the Borno State government, adding that government would hold meeting with the “Operation Hadin Kai ” Joint Taskforce because they are recieving the girls.

Also speaking on innocent persons in detention, the Executive Director of Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hamsatu Allamin, lauded the Army for providing periodical access for the Foundation to visit those in detention at Giwa Barracks.

Allamin also noted the periodical release of those identified as innocent and urged the military to sustain the tempo to ensure that no innocent member of the society suffered for a crime he or she did not commit.

The highlight of the occasion was the presentation and review of the charter of demand by Abubakar Mu’azu, a professor who is the Director of Centre for Peace, Development and Diplomatic Studies at the University of Maiduguri.