Some stakeholders in Borno on Wednesday convened a meeting to discuss rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant Boko Haram insurgents in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants included community leaders, Civil Society Organisations and representatives of security agencies.
The meeting organised by an NGO, Peace Ambassadors Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Empowerment (PACHE) in collaboration with British Council was designed to enhance peace building and security in the state.
The Coordinator of PACHE, Amb. Ahmed Shehu, stated this at the inauguration of the meeting in Maiduguri.
He said the meeting would delibrate and fashion out strategies to complement government efforts towards ensuring sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant insurgents into the society.
While urging the participants to engage effectively and come up with focused recommendations, shehu tasked the government to implement the recommendations of the stakehokders for the greater good of the state and the country at large.
Also speaking, Brig.- Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq, Special Adviser on Security to Gov. Babagana Zulum, said that over 30,000 Boko Haram members, their families and hostages surrendered to the authorities.
Ishaq who presented a paper titled: “Borno Model- Disarmament, Demobilisation, Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reintegration,” said the feat was achieved through effective utilisation of non kinetic approach in the counter insurgency operation.
He said that most of the surrendered Boko Haram insurgents were sincere in thier actions and played significant role in convincing others to embrace peace.
“They have sympathisers who provide them information about the movement of troops. Therefore they cannot be surprised, they cannot be ambushed, when soldiers are about to move, there is somebody to tell them.
“They can go and block Maiduguri – Damaturu road to pick few people and collect ransome to continue the fight.
“Therefore, when some of them said they are tied of fighting, they cant continue, I have a different view,” he said.
Ishaq further identified lack of shelter, feeding and sanitation as some of the challenges affecting the repentant insurgents and reintegration programme.
He urged the federal government and development organisations to support the state government to enable it to handle the situation effectively.
Ishaq also urged victims of the insurgency to show forgiveness and accept the repentant insurgents to move the state foward.
He further sought for the media support in creating awareness in the society to fast track successful implementation of the reintegration programme. (NAN)
