We’ re in dilemma, says Borno gov as 1500 insurgents surrender
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has said the surrender of about 1500 repentant Boko Haram fighters has put Borno in two extremely difficult situations.
A statement from the state government yesterday said, Governor Zulum disclosed this on Saturday in Bama and Gwoza where he addressed military officers and community leaders.
The governor who also said most victims of insurgency in the state were facing a dilemma on whether or not to accept repentant insurgents added that the situation required diverse stakeholders including representatives of attacked communities, to come together and critically review the pros, cons and implications of the surrender, to agree on a framework that is well-thoughtout.
The statement signed by the special adviser to Zulum, Malam Isa Gusau quoted the governor as saying, “We in Borno, are in a very difficult situation over the ongoing surrender by insurgents. We have to critically look between two extreme conditions and decide our future. We have to choose between endless wars or to cautiously accept the surrendered terrorists, which is really painful and difficult for anyone that has lost loved ones, difficult for all of us and even for the military whose colleagues have died and for volunteers. No one would find it easy to accept killers of his or her parents, children and other loved ones’’.
The governor said accepting repentant insurgents has the risk of seriously offending the feelings of victims with potential of civil rebellion, just as there is the risk that if Boko Haram fighters willing to surrender are rejected, they can join ISWAP to swell the ranks of fighters in the bush and the path of peace becomes narrowed.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has so far received about 1,500 commanders and members of ISWAP-Boko Haram in a massive surrender orchestrated by a special intelligence-driven operation by the Nigerian Army.
A video clip obtained by PRNigeria showed a mass of the repentant terrorists, their family members comprising women and children, filing out (in a straight line) from dense forest.
The returnees then proceeded to surrender to troops at Mafa, it was further learnt.
Some former top commanders of the terrorist groups, including Adamu Rugurugu, and their family members have so far surrendered to the Nigerian military at various designated locations in Borno State.
Some of the terrorists surrendered with their families at Bama, Mafa and Gwoza axes this weekend.
PRNigeria learnt that massive campaign jingles sponsored by the Nigerian military in both Kanuri and Hausa languages, in recent times, have also helped to coerced many insurgents to quit terrorism and lay down their arms.
A top military intelligence source told PRNigeria that the terrorists are leaving their camps to surrender because of aggressive advocacy by Islamic scholars and family members.
He said about 2000 more terrorists are expected to surrender at the Lake Chad axis due to advocacy campaigns and the psychological military operation.