Nigerian soldiers engaged in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East have expressed concerns over an alleged directive requiring them to work alongside former Boko Haram fighters who recently completed the Borno State Government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme.
Military personnel who spoke on condition of anonymity said the development has generated apprehension among troops, particularly those deployed on the frontlines of the insurgency campaign in Borno State.
According to the sources, some former insurgents who publicly renounced violence and participated in recent reintegration exercises have been attached to local security groups that support military operations in parts of the state.
The soldiers alleged that the arrangement is linked to efforts by the state government to demonstrate the effectiveness of its rehabilitation and reintegration initiative, which has remained a subject of public debate since its inception.
One of the sources said many troops remain sceptical about the reliability of some of the former fighters despite their participation in rehabilitation programmes.
“The government wants to prove that the reintegration programme is working, so some of these ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members are being attached to security groups that work with troops in operations,” the source said.
He added that concerns persist over the possibility of intelligence leaks and operational compromise, citing previous incidents in which military activities were allegedly exposed to insurgents.
Another military source disclosed that some former insurgents are often housed separately within military facilities because of lingering fears that they may still maintain links with active terrorist networks.
“We don’t trust them completely. There have been too many incidents in the past. That is why they are often given separate accommodation. Yet now there is pressure for us to work closely with them during our missions,” the source said.
The soldiers argued that government efforts should be directed toward strengthening military capabilities through improved equipment, intelligence gathering and personnel welfare rather than compelling collaboration with former insurgents.
The concerns emerged weeks after the Borno State Government reintegrated 720 former insurgents, alongside 992 spouses and 2,050 children, under its “Borno Model” deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme.
The beneficiaries were among individuals who surrendered to security agencies and subsequently underwent rehabilitation at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri before being returned to their communities.
Speaking during the reintegration exercise, retired Brigadier General Abdullahi Ishaq, Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum on Security and a member of the state’s Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Committee, described the initiative as a key component of Borno State’s non-kinetic approach to tackling insurgency.
According to him, the programme, which commenced in July 2021, is built on the principles of rehabilitation, forgiveness and community acceptance for former insurgents willing to renounce violence.
Ishaq stated that more than 350,000 individuals have reportedly left insurgent camps and surrendered since the programme began, while 9,680 persons have been reintegrated through nine batches.
He explained that participants undergo counselling, religious and behavioural reorientation, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes before being returned to society.
Despite the government’s defence of the initiative, the programme has continued to attract criticism from some members of the public, victims of insurgency and security stakeholders who question whether former insurgents can be fully trusted and whether adequate mechanisms are in place to prevent a return to extremist activities.
The concerns raised by serving soldiers highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the reintegration programme and its implications for security operations in Nigeria’s North-East region.
