The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum has faulted the deradicalisation programme for former members of Boko Haram, saying it is not working.
According to him, former members of the terror group that get admitted into the programme eventually end up as informants for the insurgents.
Zulum spoke Thursday at North-East Governors’ Forum meeting in Bauchi on Thursday.
Called ‘Operation Safe Corridor’, the Nigerian Army’s deradicalisation programme for former insurgents began operation in 2016.
“Another aspect of the war against the insurgency that needs to be urgently reviewed or modified, is the issue of deradicalisation of Boko Haram terrorists, who have been captured or have willingly surrendered themselves to the authorities,” he said.
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“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often, those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative, or have been deradicalised, usually go back and rejoin the terror group after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process.
“In addition, the host communities where the reintegration process is going on usually resent the presence of Boko Haram terrorists, even if they have been deradicalised, because of the despicable and atrocious activities they have committed in the past.
“So the idea of deradicalisation, as currently being implemented, needs to be reviewed because the main goals and the underlying objectives behind the initiative are not being achieved,” Zulum said.
He advised the Federal Government to focus on prosecuting the insurgents in accordance to the Terrorism Act.