Repentant Terrorists Swear Quran Oath Before Reintegration — Borno Govt

The Borno State Government has defended its controversial rehabilitation and reintegration programme for former insurgents, insisting that repentant terrorists undergo a strict deradicalisation process that includes swearing an oath with the Quran before being returned to society.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, said the oath-taking process is a central part of the “Borno model” designed to discourage former fighters from returning to terrorism and violent extremism.

Speaking amid growing public criticism of Nigeria’s reintegration policy for ex-insurgents, Gambo explained that individuals who complete the rehabilitation process are required to publicly commit themselves to peaceful living through a Quranic oath.

“When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by the Quran, you know the implication,” she said.

According to the commissioner, insurgents who surrender to government authorities are usually branded as traitors by terrorist groups, making it difficult for them to safely return to the bush.

“People assume that they will go back to the bush; well, they may, but they are dead on arrival.

“The moment you step out and surrender to constituted authority, you become an infidel,” she added.

The comments come at a time when the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme has again sparked national debate over the rehabilitation and reintegration of former Boko Haram fighters and other insurgents.

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Recently, no fewer than 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camp in Gombe State under the programme.

Official records showed that the majority of the beneficiaries came from Borno State, while others were drawn from Adamawa, Yobe, Kano and several other states. Reports also indicated that a few foreign nationals from neighbouring countries including Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso participated in the programme.

Military authorities described the initiative as a non-kinetic counterterrorism strategy aimed at weakening extremist networks, reducing violence and encouraging defections from terrorist groups operating in the North-East.

The programme reportedly combines psychosocial support, vocational training, religious counselling, civic education and behavioural reorientation to prepare former insurgents for reintegration into their communities.

However, the initiative has continued to attract criticism from many Nigerians, legal experts, victims’ groups and civil society organisations who question the transparency of the process and the absence of adequate justice for victims of terrorism.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, recently warned that reintegrating former terrorists without addressing the concerns of victims could create a dangerous perception of injustice and undermine public confidence in the country’s counterterrorism efforts.

Similarly, Amnesty International Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, called on the Federal Government to provide more transparency regarding the identities and specific roles played by those being rehabilitated.

According to him, affected communities deserve to know the extent of each participant’s involvement in terrorist activities before such individuals are reintegrated into society.

Despite the criticisms, the Borno State Government insists that the deradicalisation process is carefully monitored and remains necessary for achieving long-term peace in the region after more than a decade of insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across Nigeria’s North-East.

Gambo also admitted that funding remains one of the biggest challenges confronting the programme, noting that government authorities must provide food, shelter, education and rehabilitation support for large numbers of former fighters and affected persons.

“The challenge, of course, has to do with funding, because you bring a lot of people on board, but how are you going to feed them, clothe them and provide them with access to education?” she asked.

The debate surrounding repentant terrorists, Operation Safe Corridor, and the reintegration of former insurgents continues to divide public opinion, with supporters describing the initiative as a pathway to peace while critics argue that justice for victims should take priority.

Repentant Terrorists Swear Quran Oath Before Reintegration — Borno Govt

Residents flee Kano community as gunmen kill three in night raid 

Suspected gunmen on Monday night invaded Yankamaye community in the Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State, killing three residents and forcing scores of villagers to flee for safety.

Residents said the attackers stormed the community late at night, firing sporadically and throwing the area into panic as terrified residents ran for cover.

The member representing Ghari and Tsanyawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sani Bala, confirmed the attack in a statement shared online, revealing that three bodies had been recovered after the assault.

“As at the time of this update, three people have been confirmed dead,” the lawmaker stated, while lamenting the worsening security situation in the area.

A resident, Saifullahi Sulaiman Sorodaya, described the attack as sudden and terrifying.

“The attackers entered the town shooting without stopping, and people had no option but to run for their lives,” he said.

Another resident, Madahuru Isah Ibrahim, disclosed that several persons sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

Following the incident, residents of Yankamaye and neighbouring communities appealed to security agencies to intensify surveillance and deploy more personnel to prevent further attacks and restore confidence in the area.

Edo Kidnapping: Arrest of Suspects Exposes Alleged Insider Network, Criminal Hideout

A chilling kidnapping case in Edo State has exposed an alleged network of insider collaboration, drug-related activities, and a suspected criminal hideout after security operatives arrested nine suspected kidnappers in a coordinated operation.

The development comes amid rising insecurity across parts of Edo Central, including Ekpoma, Ubiaja, Irrua and surrounding communities, where residents say kidnappings and killings have become increasingly frequent and brutal.

The case gained widespread attention following the killing of 30-year-old entrepreneur Justin Otene, popularly known as “Jusewayne,” owner of the fast-food outlet Principal Takeout in Ekpoma. He was reportedly attacked at his home in the Idumebo area after resisting abduction by armed men and was killed just days before his child’s dedication ceremony.

Residents say his death is part of a disturbing pattern of repeated kidnappings and killings in the region, which has left many families devastated and communities on edge.

In Ubiaja, Esan South-West Local Government Area, residents also pointed to earlier cases where a young man was kidnapped and killed last year, with his younger brother reportedly suffering a similar fate this year. Similar incidents have been recorded in parts of Etsako East, Akoko-Edo and other areas of Edo State.

Attention later shifted to a heavily fenced property in Ubiaja owned by a man identified as Jerry Okoyomo. The building, described by residents as resembling a fortified compound, allegedly raised suspicion due to restricted movement, unusual night activity, and claims that it was being used as a cover for cattle rearing.

Community members also alleged that the owner conducted high-value transactions in cash, bypassing normal banking channels, further heightening suspicion around the property.

Following a kidnapping incident in Irrua, security operatives arrested nine suspected kidnappers believed to be part of a wider criminal syndicate operating across the state.

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During interrogation by the Edo State Special Security Squad, the suspects allegedly linked their operations to the Ubiaja property, claiming it served as a coordination centre where ransom negotiations were conducted, communication was managed, and escape routes were planned.

Security officials described the house as a suspected operational base used for kidnapping activities and, allegedly, drug-related operations.

Acting on intelligence gathered during investigations, the state government ordered the demolition of the property. The structure was subsequently pulled down using earthmoving equipment in the presence of security operatives and cheering residents who said the building had long been a source of fear in the community.

Chairman of the Special Security Squad, Noah Paddy Idemudia, confirmed that the building was identified during investigations into recent kidnapping cases and said preliminary findings linked it to both kidnapping and illegal drug activities. He also warned landlords across the state to properly profile tenants to avoid providing safe havens for criminals.

In a separate account, a victim of the kidnapping gang narrated her ordeal, describing how she was held in a forest camp, threatened, and forced to watch her captors assemble a newly acquired firearm during negotiations. She said the kidnappers demanded a ₦10 million ransom, but her family could only raise ₦3 million, and she was threatened with death during the standoff.

One of the arrested suspects, Musa Mohammadu, reportedly claimed he was deceived into travelling from northern Nigeria under the guise of a cattle-rearing job, only to later discover he had been recruited into a kidnapping network.

Meanwhile, the alleged property owner, Jerry Okoyomo, is said to have denied involvement in kidnapping activities but did not dispute the demolition of his building, reportedly insisting that he was only involved in illicit drug dealings.

Security analysts say the case highlights a growing pattern of organized kidnapping networks, possible insider collaboration, and the use of disguised properties as operational bases in parts of Edo State.

Authorities have intensified security operations in the affected areas while urging residents to report suspicious movements as investigations continue.

Edo Kidnapping: Arrest of Suspects Exposes Alleged Insider Network, Criminal Hideout