Repentant Insurgents: Borno Leaders Seek Proper Profiling, Warn Against Hasty Release

Stakeholders in Borno State have called for stringent profiling
of repentant insurgents as many Boko Haram and Islamic State West
Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters surrender to troops in the North
East.

The call was part of the 16 resolutions reached during a
security multi-stakeholder town-hall meeting convened by Governor
Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Governor Zulum’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, in a statement on Monday
explained that the meeting extensively discussed the pros, cons and
implications of the ongoing surrender by repentant insurgents.

According to him, all groups made frank presentations during the
meeting held on Sunday afternoon before the resolutions were
reached.

They stressed the need to properly profile the repentant
insurgents to avoid the hasty release of hardened elements to the
larger society.

The stakeholders also demanded that firearms be retrieved from
all repentant insurgents, and urged the military to intensify the
battle against ISWAP.

They want the Federal Government to quickly establish a
world-class centre with facilities for de-radicalisation and
rehabilitation of repentant insurgents to where they can be
cautiously reintegrated after satisfactory rehabilitation.

In his opening remarks, Governor Zulum called on all
participants to be very open and analytical in their submissions
looking at potential advantages, problems and implications of
having repentant insurgents in the society.

He stated that while it was difficult accepting the killers of
their loved ones, it was equally important to find ways of ending
the 12-year insurgency.

The governor described the surrendering of the insurgents as
dealing with “two extreme conditions”.

He explained that accepting insurgents has its implications on
one hand while rejecting them could swell the ranks of rival ISWAP
faction that was still armed and waging war.

Governor Zulum referred to the case of Afghanistan where 20
years of the military fight ended with the Taliban now in control
of the government.

In his submission, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai
Elkanemi, urged residents to consider genuine reconciliation in the
interest of peace while leaders should preach forgiveness and
tolerance in their respective domains as one of the ways
forward.

Others who attended the meeting were federal lawmaker, Senator
Ali Ndume; Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General,
Christopher Musa; Chief Imam of Borno, Zannah Laisu, a
representative of the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) in Borno, and a victim of Boko Haram insurgency, Babagana
Malum, among others.

Read the communique released at the end of the meeting and
signed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in
Borno, Kaka Lawan, below:

The stakeholders appreciated the untiring efforts and support of
His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President and
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria towards ending Boko Haram insurgency and other
criminalities in Borno State and the country at large.

The stakeholders commended the zeal and determination of His
Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, FNSE, mni, Executive
Governor of Borno State towards the restoration of lasting peace in
the State. The meeting further noted the unparalleled support
rendered to the IDPs and vulnerable by His Excellency, the
Executive Governor.

The stakeholders welcomed the effort of the Federal and State
Governments in the provision of state-of-the-art equipment and
other logistics to the security operatives that led to the renewed
vigour in the fight against insurgents which resulted in the recent
surrender.

The meeting urged the Federal and State Governments to handle
the issues of repentant Boko Haram insurgents with utmost care and
within the instrumentality of the law.

The meeting stressed the need for proper profiling of repentant
Boko Haram insurgents to avoid hasty release of hardened elements
to larger society.

The meeting welcomed the recent massive surrender by the Boko
Haram insurgents and urged those still in the bush to follow
suit.

The meeting called for all firearms and offensive weapons used
by the repentant insurgents to be retrieved from them.

The meeting strongly advocated for the strengthening of the
deradicalisation mechanism of Operation Safe Corridor so as to
involve parents of the surrendered Boko Haram members, Ulamas,
traditional/community leaders and the media.

The meeting urged citizens to key into the educational
opportunities created by the state government, especially by
enrolling their children and wards in schools as a counter-measure
for indoctrination.

The stakeholders reiterated the need for further support to all
victims of insurgency especially women and children.

The meeting called on the Federal Government to establish a
world-class deradicalisation/rehabilitation centre in Borno State
being the epicentre of insurgency.

The meeting called for a true reconciliation amongst the
affected people.

The meeting appreciates the support of the Federal Government to
the State, but solicited for more funding from the Federal
Government to the State especially in areas of reconstruction,
resettlement, reintegration, education and health as the meagre
resources at the disposal of the state is not sufficient in view of
the magnitude of the cost involved.

The meeting urged the military to sustain the ongoing offensive
on the activities of ISWAP.

The meeting resolved to have a periodic briefing on the
activities of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists with a view to
creating awareness amongst the public.

The meeting further resolved that the North East Development
Commission (NEDC) as a matter of priority be involved in all
aspects of the rehabilitation and integration of surrendered Boko
Haram into mainstream society.

Stakeholders in Borno State have called for stringent profiling
of repentant insurgents as many Boko Haram and Islamic State West
Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters surrender to troops in the North
East.

The call was part of the 16 resolutions reached during a
security multi-stakeholder town-hall meeting convened by Governor
Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Governor Zulum’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, in a statement on Monday
explained that the meeting extensively discussed the pros, cons and
implications of the ongoing surrender by repentant insurgents.

According to him, all groups made frank presentations during the
meeting held on Sunday afternoon before the resolutions were
reached.

They stressed the need to properly profile the repentant
insurgents to avoid the hasty release of hardened elements to the
larger society.

The stakeholders also demanded that firearms be retrieved from
all repentant insurgents, and urged the military to intensify the
battle against ISWAP.

They want the Federal Government to quickly establish a
world-class centre with facilities for de-radicalisation and
rehabilitation of repentant insurgents to where they can be
cautiously reintegrated after satisfactory rehabilitation.

In his opening remarks, Governor Zulum called on all
participants to be very open and analytical in their submissions
looking at potential advantages, problems and implications of
having repentant insurgents in the society.

He stated that while it was difficult accepting the killers of
their loved ones, it was equally important to find ways of ending
the 12-year insurgency.

The governor described the surrendering of the insurgents as
dealing with “two extreme conditions”.

He explained that accepting insurgents has its implications on
one hand while rejecting them could swell the ranks of rival ISWAP
faction that was still armed and waging war.

Governor Zulum referred to the case of Afghanistan where 20
years of the military fight ended with the Taliban now in control
of the government.

In his submission, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai
Elkanemi, urged residents to consider genuine reconciliation in the
interest of peace while leaders should preach forgiveness and
tolerance in their respective domains as one of the ways
forward.

Others who attended the meeting were federal lawmaker, Senator
Ali Ndume; Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General,
Christopher Musa; Chief Imam of Borno, Zannah Laisu, a
representative of the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) in Borno, and a victim of Boko Haram insurgency, Babagana
Malum, among others.

Read the communique released at the end of the meeting and
signed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in
Borno, Kaka Lawan, below:

The stakeholders appreciated the untiring efforts and support of
His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President and
Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria towards ending Boko Haram insurgency and other
criminalities in Borno State and the country at large.

The stakeholders commended the zeal and determination of His
Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, FNSE, mni, Executive
Governor of Borno State towards the restoration of lasting peace in
the State. The meeting further noted the unparalleled support
rendered to the IDPs and vulnerable by His Excellency, the
Executive Governor.

The stakeholders welcomed the effort of the Federal and State
Governments in the provision of state-of-the-art equipment and
other logistics to the security operatives that led to the renewed
vigour in the fight against insurgents which resulted in the recent
surrender.

The meeting urged the Federal and State Governments to handle
the issues of repentant Boko Haram insurgents with utmost care and
within the instrumentality of the law.

The meeting stressed the need for proper profiling of repentant
Boko Haram insurgents to avoid hasty release of hardened elements
to larger society.

The meeting welcomed the recent massive surrender by the Boko
Haram insurgents and urged those still in the bush to follow
suit.

The meeting called for all firearms and offensive weapons used
by the repentant insurgents to be retrieved from them.

The meeting strongly advocated for the strengthening of the
deradicalisation mechanism of Operation Safe Corridor so as to
involve parents of the surrendered Boko Haram members, Ulamas,
traditional/community leaders and the media.

The meeting urged citizens to key into the educational
opportunities created by the state government, especially by
enrolling their children and wards in schools as a counter-measure
for indoctrination.

The stakeholders reiterated the need for further support to all
victims of insurgency especially women and children.

The meeting called on the Federal Government to establish a
world-class deradicalisation/rehabilitation centre in Borno State
being the epicentre of insurgency.

The meeting called for a true reconciliation amongst the
affected people.

The meeting appreciates the support of the Federal Government to
the State, but solicited for more funding from the Federal
Government to the State especially in areas of reconstruction,
resettlement, reintegration, education and health as the meagre
resources at the disposal of the state is not sufficient in view of
the magnitude of the cost involved.

The meeting urged the military to sustain the ongoing offensive
on the activities of ISWAP.

The meeting resolved to have a periodic briefing on the
activities of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists with a view to
creating awareness amongst the public.

The meeting further resolved that the North East Development
Commission (NEDC) as a matter of priority be involved in all
aspects of the rehabilitation and integration of surrendered Boko
Haram into mainstream society.