Zulum Speaks On ‘Rewarding’ Repentant Boko Haram Members

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has said that his administration will not be giving any money to repentant terrorists for giving up their arms and surrendering to the military.

Naija News had reported that no fewer than 1,000 Boko Haram members laid down their arms and surrendered to Nigerian troops.

A statement by the army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, said the repentant terrorists will be processed and passed on to the relevant government agencies for further assessment in line with extant provisions.

Speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Zulum said the state is ready to accept and reintegrate the repentant terrorists into society.

Zulum stated that he discussed the report of the surrender of Boko Haram insurgents with the President as well as plans to reintegrate them into society.

The governor revealed that 2,600 insurgents along with their family members had surrendered to the Nigerian Army in the last four months.

He said among those that surrendered were innocent people who were forcefully conscripted to join the Boko Haram sect, while some are teenagers.

Zulum also added that over 100,000 Borno indigenes have been killed in the 12-year-old insurgency in the North East.

According to the governor, repentant Boko Haram insurgents should not be rejected and not be treated as an outcast.