The Borno State Government has stated that the 160,000 former Boko Haram insurgents who have repented will not go back to killing because they made a solemn promise with the Quran.
Zuwaira Gambo, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, made this announcement on February 14th.
Gambo, who is responsible for overseeing the well-being of the ex-combatants and rescued captives, also mentioned that out of the 160,000 repentant insurgents, 70,000 have already been resettled and reintegrated into their communities.
She emphasized that since they have taken an oath with the Quran, the ex-terrorists will not return to the bush to rejoin Boko Haram.
Gambo made these remarks during the public presentation of survivors, victims, and deradicalized women of Boko Haram by the Allamin Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in Maiduguri that is supported by UKAID.
The commissioner addressed the increasing concerns of the public regarding the return of terrorism in the North-East. He assured that the repentant terrorists were not going back on their promise to change their ways and rejoining the armed groups to fight against Nigeria.
“It is completely untrue that the repentant Boko Haram fighters are reneging on their repentance and returning to the bush to continue fighting.
“Out of the over 160,000 who repented, we have already reintegrated over 70,000 in their home communities, and I can assure you that no one will be missing should we decide to gather all of them for anyone to confirm. We operate a transparent process of their repentance.”
Gambo expressed confidence that the repentant insurgent, who had made a solemn oath with the Quran, would not go back to the battlefront.
“We subject each of them to proper oath taking with the Holy Quran that he or she will never return to the bush to fight; and he or she swears with the Holy Quran in the presence of a committee comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders, and government officials.
“No repentant Boko Haram dare renege on the oath because he or she knows what it means to swear with the Holy Quran and renege; and he or she knows that he or she dare not return to the bush because he or she knows that death awaits him on arrival; their commanders in the bush will kill him because they would not trust him.”
According to the commissioner, approximately 75% of these former insurgents were initially farmers who were coerced into joining the insurgency.
She clarified that they were not experienced fighters. Additionally, she mentioned that the state government would thoroughly examine the list of demands and take the necessary actions to address them.
