Nigerian soldiers involved in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East have reportedly raised concerns over an alleged directive requiring them to work alongside former Boko Haram members who recently completed the Borno State Government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme.
Military personnel, who spoke anonymously, said the reported arrangement has created anxiety among troops operating in parts of Borno State due to fears that it could expose sensitive military operations to intelligence leaks and weaken ongoing efforts against insurgent groups.
According to the soldiers, some former Boko Haram fighters who publicly renounced violence and pledged loyalty to the Nigerian government have been attached to local security groups that support military operations in the state.
The sources claimed the move is part of the Borno State Government’s efforts to demonstrate the success of its rehabilitation and reintegration programme, which has attracted mixed reactions from victims of insurgency, members of the public, and some security personnel.
Despite the rehabilitation process, several soldiers expressed doubts about the sincerity of some former insurgents, arguing that trust remains a major concern on the battlefield.
One military source alleged that deploying former insurgents alongside security volunteers has generated unease among frontline troops because of previous incidents in which operational information was reportedly compromised.
Another soldier claimed that many personnel remain cautious when interacting with some of the rehabilitated fighters over fears they could still maintain links with active terrorist groups. According to the source, some of the former insurgents are housed separately within military facilities because of ongoing security concerns.
The soldiers further argued that repeated attacks on military commanders have heightened suspicions of possible intelligence leaks, making them reluctant to work closely with former insurgents.
They appealed to the Federal Government to focus on improving troop welfare, intelligence capabilities, and operational equipment rather than encouraging collaboration with individuals who were previously members of terrorist groups.
The concerns surfaced weeks after the Borno State Government reintegrated 720 former insurgents, alongside 992 spouses and 2,050 children, into various communities under its “Borno Model” deradicalisation and rehabilitation initiative.
The beneficiaries were among individuals who surrendered to security forces, completed rehabilitation programmes at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri, and were later returned to their communities.
Speaking during the reintegration exercise, retired Brigadier-General Abdullahi Ishaq, Special Adviser on Security to Governor Babagana Zulum and a member of the state’s Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Committee, described the programme as a key aspect of Borno State’s non-military strategy for tackling insurgency.
He explained that the initiative, launched in July 2021, focuses on rehabilitation, forgiveness, and community acceptance of former insurgents who renounce violence.
According to Ishaq, more than 350,000 people have surrendered since the programme began, while 9,680 individuals have been successfully reintegrated through nine batches after undergoing counselling, vocational training, behavioural reorientation, religious education, and skills acquisition.
Despite these achievements, the programme has continued to generate debate, with critics questioning whether sufficient safeguards are in place to prevent former insurgents from returning to extremist activities.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful, as calls and a text message sent to the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, had not been answered as of the time of filing the report.
