The Borno State Government has dismissed fears that many repentant terrorists reintegrated into society after rehabilitation and deradicalisation may return to terrorism.
Papers News reports that the state said one of the key parts of the programme is making the repentant terrorists swear by the Quran, a step it described as strong enough to discourage them from taking up arms again.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, stated this in an interview with Newscentral television aired on Monday.
Gambo said the oath-taking process formed the final stage of the Borno model for rehabilitating repentant terrorists.
She said, “When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is, they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by the quran, you know the implication.”
She added that those who return to the bush after surrendering face consequences from the armed groups they left behind.
“People assume that they will go back to the bush; well, they may, but they are dead on arrival. So, it is not even about whether they have been certified or we trust them or not. The law of the jungle takes care of that. The moment you step out, and you surrender to the constituted authority, you become an infidel,” she said.
The commissioner, however, said funding remained a major challenge affecting the smooth running of the programme.
She said, “The challenge, of course, has to do with funding, because you bring a lot of people on board, but how are you going to feed them, how are you going to clothe and provide for them with necessary access to education.”
The comments came amid public concern over the recent graduation and planned reintegration of 744 former terrorists under the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme.
Of the beneficiaries, 597 were from Borno State, while others came from Adamawa, Yobe, Kano and other states.
The development triggered debate over transparency, accountability and justice for victims of violent extremism.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, said the policy raised concerns over secrecy and lack of oversight.
He said, “Reintegrating persons who may have unleashed violence or burned properties or committed other criminal activities into communities without addressing the hurt of the victims would appear as compensating perpetrators while overlooking the victims.”
Similarly, Amnesty International Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, said while international law supports the reintegration of those who surrender, Nigeria’s process must be more transparent.
Sanusi said, “There are serious concerns that some of those called repentant sometimes go back to what they do. The government must be transparent about who they are and their level of involvement.
“Tell the people who these people are, what kind of terrorism they were involved in, and whether they were informants or killers. These things have to be made very clear.”
