Borno State Successfully Reintegrates 8,490 Repentant Boko Haram Members Using Borno Model.

According to the Borno State Government, 8,490 Boko Haram members who have repented have been successfully reintegrated using the Borno Model procedure.

During an oath-taking ceremony for 560 repentant insurgents in Maiduguri on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, informed Daily Trust that the insurgents are low risks and children. Along with traditional leaders from their respective communities, he said they had received clearance from the military and other security services.

He declared that the programme was a success and that studies had revealed that people who were reintegrated into society never broke any laws and never returned to the woods.

“For the past three years, we established Borno Model for the mass return of insurgents and those who were trapped in the line of violence. Today we are winning out additional 560 returnees who are low risks and minors. They have been trained on phone repairs, mechanics, carpentry and all sorts of trades," Prof. Tar said.

“This platform has been very successful, so people should not be worried because of few challenges. Office of the National Security Adviser has shown confidence in this process (Borno Model), and we are working with other state governments who are exploring ways and means of adopting our Borno Model."

Brig. General Abdullahi Ishaq (rtd), the Borno State Special Adviser on Security Affairs, also spoke during the event and stated that 8,490 low-risk and minors have been reintegrated into society thus far by the state administration using the Borno Model.

“As I speak today, we have so far reintegrated a total of 8,490 low risks and minors. In the past, we resettled 7,930 and now 560 people, many of them 10 years old when insurgents invaded their villages and were forcefully taken away," Ishaq said.

“There are almajirai, farmers, fishermen, and others who were forced against their will to join Boko Haram sect; so, these are low risks and minors. The community leaders came here to screen and request that we should release them to the community."

“Many of them are from Konduga, Dikwa, Ngala, Marte, Kukawa, Mobbar, Bama, Gwoza, and other LGAs."

“After this training, they will also receive starter packs at the end of the programme, before being returned to the communities that had screened them for the training,” he added.