UN Chief, António Guterres Backs Reintegration Of Repentant Terrorists

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, has backed the reintegration of repentant terrorists in the North East.

Guterres stated that the reintegration programme will help achieve peace in Borno state and in the region in general, adding that the move will allow displaced persons to return to their homes.

He made this known on Tuesday while speaking with reporters after visiting an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Gubio village and another camp built for repentant insurgents in Maiduguri.

The UN chief said he fully supported moves to expand facilities to reintegrate at least 40,000 repentant Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents in the country.

He said: “The governor has told me that we need to create new facilities to be able to have effective reintegration of these ex-terrorists, ex-combatants, and I promised that we would be fully supportive of that project.

“The best thing we can do for peace is to reintegrate those who in the moment of despair became terrorists but now want to become citizens and to contribute to the well-being of their brothers and sisters.”

He added: “I saw people that have suffered smiling and hoping for the best. I saw ex-terrorists trying to integrate into society and I discovered that here in Borno we will not solve the problem if we do not solve the root cause of the problems.

“But I see here in Borno a governor who is determined to establish confidence and trust between the population and government. When the population does not trust the government, they follow terrorists.

When the population sees the government cannot do anything for them, they follow terrorists. But here I see a government that is not only thinking about impressing the population but thinking about the future.

“I see that what they really want is not food but the condition to really go back home in dignity and safety.”

Guterres stated that the United Nations will continue to support humanitarian work in Borno, stressing that the IDPs would need to return to their homes “in safety and dignity.”

Naija News had earlier reported that the UN Chief arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday afternoon for a two-day official visit.

Guterres was received at the Maiduguri International Airport by Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum.

The UN chief was in the North East state to assess the humanitarian situation resulting from Boko Haram attacks in the state.