Former Terrorists Who Have Repented and Nigeria's Future

The Borno State Government’s recent decision to reintegrate 720 men who were previously accused of terrorism, along with their 992 spouses and 2,050 children, has sparked continued controversy. The individuals involved were reported to have repented, been deradicalised, and rehabilitated in Maiduguri before being granted a second chance within their communities.

State officials said that during the programme, the former insurgents pledged before the Holy Quran that they would not return to their previous activities before receiving permission to rejoin society.

Brig‑Gen Abdullahi Ishaq (rtd), Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum on Security, described the event as a milestone in the Borno Model Non‑Kinetic approach to countering terrorism in the Northeast and across Nigeria.

“It has been a success story since 5th July 2021, when the good people of Borno State, under the stewardship of our dynamic leader, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, agreed to forgive and accept their sons who are willing to drop arms and embrace peace.”

“Today, the Borno Model is adjudged to be one of the most effective non‑kinetic programmes in the history of mankind, with over 350,000 persons that willingly exited the bush and surrendered to the military.”

“A total of 720 men, 992 spouses, and 2,050 children who had repented and surrendered to troops are to be reintegrated after many of them were deradicalised, disarmed, and rehabilitated at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri and acquired various skills.”

“Their way back from the bush began with a call from their colleagues encouraging them to surrender, embrace peace, and re‑unite with their parents,” Ishaq said.

He added that those affected had previously exited the bush, reported to the nearest military location for initial profiling, and surrendered any weapons to the troops.

While the Borno State Government, like several other northern states, promotes programmes that align with the Nigerian Army’s ‘Operation Safe Corridors’ and claims to have persuaded thousands of insurgents to abandon violence, the decision has reignited a national debate over the wisdom and long‑term implications of granting former terrorists a second chance.

Beyond the emotional outrage it has provoked, the move raises profound questions about justice for victims, community safety, the effectiveness of deradicalisation, and the type of future Nigeria seeks to build in its fight against terrorism.

Thus, the issue centers on balancing peace with accountability and determining whether reconciliation can secure a more stable and united Nigeria. It also raises difficult questions about national security and morality.

For over a decade, terrorism has left deep scars across the country. Thousands of innocent Nigerians have been murdered. Women have been widowed. Children have been orphaned. For instance, in Oyo recently, a teacher was beheaded by his abductors, just as several others have been killed in Borno, Kogi, Kwara and Zamfara states, among others, over the years. We have seen communities in Niger, and Kwara states displaced. Schools have been destroyed. Farms have been abandoned. Dreams have been buried. Families have been shattered.

With all these painful memories and enduring scars, can a nation truly heal when those who inflicted such unimaginable pains are rewarded with freedom, rehabilitation and opportunities, while victims and their families remain trapped in grief, poverty and neglect? How will many of our gallant soldiers that bear visible marks from battles with bandits and others with distasteful memories feel seeing those that harmed them asked to walk freely? What message are we passing to families of those soldiers that paid the ultimate price in service to our country? These questions which are begging for answers, speak to the future of Nigeria.

Violent crimes in their myriad forms leave an indelible mark on individuals and society as a whole. They are pervasive forces that touch lives in ways both seen and unseen, often with consequences that ripple far beyond the initial act. The bruise fades, but the invisible wounds carved by violence can echo through generations, reshaping minds, breaking bodies, and unraveling the very fabric of communities.

These victims deserve justice. They deserve support. They deserve to know that the country values their pain. Unfortunately, the current policy on repented terrorists sends a different message.

Rear Admiral Dickson Olisemelogor, a retired naval officer, in a recent newspaper interview, captured it aptly when he warned that such reintegration programmes could be a ploy by perpetrators of insurgency to gather intelligence and infiltrate security agencies.

He explained: “The idea of reintegrating de‑radicalised deviants into society is good. However, what I see in our own case is disengagement rather than deradicalisation. The boys are pulled out of their groups and given some soft landing by engaging them in various government agencies without addressing the causes of their anger. To me this is a big mistake.”

“Deradicalisation entails changing the person’s ideology