By Maryam Shuaibu
The Borno State Government has reintegrated 720 former Boko Haram fighters into their communities after completing a rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme aimed at supporting long-term peace and stability in the North-east.
The latest exercise also included 992 women and 2,050 children who underwent rehabilitation at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri before returning to their communities.
Speaking during the reintegration ceremony, the Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum on Security, retired Brigadier General Abdullahi Ishaq, said the beneficiaries had voluntarily surrendered to military authorities during counter-insurgency operations.
Mr Ishaq described the Borno Model as one of the country’s most successful non-kinetic approaches to tackling insurgency.
According to him, the latest beneficiaries represent the ninth batch under the programme.
He disclosed that 8,960 former insurgents had previously been reintegrated, bringing the total number processed under the initiative to 9,680.
The former fighters underwent disarmament, deradicalisation, rehabilitation and vocational training before being cleared for reintegration.
Mr Ishaq said community leaders, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters participated in screening the beneficiaries before their return to society.
The state government also provided starter packs to support their reintegration and livelihood activities.
The programme forms part of Borno State’s broader strategy of combining military operations with rehabilitation efforts to encourage defections from insurgent groups.
However, the initiative continues to generate debate, with some victims and affected communities expressing concerns about the return of former fighters to civilian populations.
State authorities insist the programme remains an important tool for promoting peace, reconciliation and long-term stability in the region.