₦airaland Forum

Surrendered Terrorists Evade Official Rehabilitation Programme, Reinfiltrate Nigerian Communities

The journey of a typical Boko Haram/ISWAP member often begins with recruitment, which may be voluntary or coerced.

Once enlisted, the individuals serve either as fighters or in non-combatant roles. Life in the forest encampments where these groups operate varies, shifting between periods of relative stability to episodes of intense chaos. Over time, many eventually leave the group due to unfavourable conditions or a change in personal conviction. Those who surrender typically go through the Operation Safe Corridor programme, a code name for Nigeria’s official rehabilitation process for terrorists who surrender. Over 50,000 people have reportedly surrendered to Nigerian authorities through it.

Abubakar Adam’s story, unlike many others, is different. He voluntarily joined Boko Haram in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, in 2014, a period when the group was at the height of violent operations seeking to establish what it believed to be an Islamic State.

When his hometown, Bama, was recaptured by the Nigerian military from the control of Boko Haram, Abubakar, alongside other members, fled to Banki, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon. According to Abubakar, the border town was already occupied by Boko Haram at the time, and so life was simple for him.

“When we arrived at Banki, we were offered a good reception,” he recounted. “They took us in, providing us with food and shelter.”

At first, Abubakar was sceptical about his decision to join the extremist group. For days, he wrestled with doubts, wondering whether life as a terrorist was worth the choice he had made. Eventually, survival instincts outweighed his hesitation. “I had no choice but to join them fully, as we were desperate for survival. That’s how I became a Boko Haram member.”

Banki became the place where Abubakar embraced his identity as a member of the group. He took part in several fierce battles with the Nigerian military and other pockets of violent operations in the area.

“As a Boko Haram member, my life was boring and unfulfilling,” he said. “We spent most of our days in the forest, moving from one location to another and engaging in farming activities to sustain ourselves. However, I never struggled financially, as the group provided us with basic necessities and some financial support.”

Occasionally, Abubakar found himself reflecting on the cause he was part of, especially as each day brought uncertainties, violence, and the constant threat of death. “I knew that our actions were causing harm to innocent people and that our ideology was flawed. I began to question the legitimacy of our cause and the true intentions of our leaders.”

Life for Abubakar became a relentless cycle of evading aerial and land assaults by the state military, searching for sustenance, and grappling with food crises that plagued their isolated group. Eventually, he joined a smaller faction of about 400 people, including women and children, who travelled in vehicles armed for protection. They relocated to a remote area in Cameroon, where Abubakar’s primary responsibility was overseeing their makeshift settlement, which consisted of huts and farmlands.

Describing what life looked like, he said, “I worked as a farmer during our stay in Cameroon, buying and selling farm produce. We had a large population of over 400 people, including women and children. We established Islamic schools for our children.”

Abubakar added, “I never participated in war operations, as my role was to oversee our base when others went out on missions…We had spies who informed us of potential attacks, allowing us to take necessary precautions. Our base was well-organised, with a clear hierarchy and division of labour. We had a system of governance, with leaders who made decisions on our behalf.”

Despite occasional feelings of guilt, Abubakar admitted there were moments he appreciated, such as the sense of camaraderie and shared purpose within the group.

The decision to leave, however, was fraught with danger. Escape under the watchful eyes of a tightly controlled environment was nearly impossible. It was risky, as failure could cost him his life. Abubakar told HumAngle that people who had been caught attempting to escape were brutally executed or served severe punishment.

After countless sleepless nights, a simple yet daring idea came to him. “I pretended I was going to the market,” he explained. “I acted as if it was just another routine trip, but this time, I never returned. I made my way back to Bama.”

The journey was dangerous for so many reasons. Every step felt like a gamble, but the thought of freedom and the chance to rebuild his life gave him the courage to push forward. Using a commercial vehicle, as any local traveller might, Abubakar paid his fare and travelled from a remote village in Cameroon to Bama, a town in northeastern Nigeria.

When he arrived in his hometown in 2021, he was struck by how much the town had changed. Once a place ravaged by conflict, it had transformed into a bustling town with military personnel carrying rifles, people everywhere, and resurrected buildings.

“I did not know where to go,” Abubakar said.


As he wandered, he was shocked to recognise familiar faces—people he had once encountered in the forest, some of whom had been involved in terrorist activities. Despite the overwhelming changes, he headed to his old neighbourhood, where his home had once stood. His family, friends, and neighbours had not known his fate after he fled Bama. At the time of his departure, many assumed that those who disappeared were either killed or lost forever.

A day after his arrival, Abubakar had an unexpected reunion with Sawayi*, an old acquaintance he had known at Banki, the border town where his journey into Boko Haram had begun. Sawayi warmly welcomed him and offered to show him around the town and introduce him to lively places. He even advised Abubakar on how to blend into the society.

Unlike Abubakar, Sawayi was reintegrated into society through an official rehabilitation program. He attended the Hajj Camp rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. As Sawayi took him around the town, he told him about the reintegration programme.

“I didn’t go through the Hajj Camp rehabilitation program, as I had heard mixed reviews about its effectiveness,” Abubakar said. “After the first week of my stay, I met several surrendered Boko Haram members, and we used to live together in the forest. I consulted with those who had surrendered and gained insight into the rehabilitation program.”

As he settled into Bama, Abubakar found himself appreciating the freedom to start afresh. “I decided to present myself as someone returning from a trip. I dressed well and acted as though I had been away on personal business. Since people in Bama didn’t know I was a Boko Haram member, reintegration was straightforward,” he said.

Eventually, Abubakar married a former Boko Haram member he had met earlier during their stay in the forest. They have two children and are building a life together in Bama. “They are the centre of my universe,” he said of his family.

He works as a carpenter, a trade he learnt from his new friends after his return. His modest income helps him feed his family, but he is ambitious and determined to achieve more. “I need support from the government to start a business, and I’m considering returning to Cameroon to establish a business there,” he said.

nlfpmod

SoftSport:
Tinubu is doing a good job trying to improve the rehabilitation programs, but it’s clear more needs to be done to help repented terrorists fully rejoin society.

fuckingAyaya:
Repented terrorists? omo take your Japa plan seriously oooo. Una hear wetin person talk

SSHT:
https://humanglemedia.com/surrendered-terrorists-evade-official-rehabilitation-programme-reinfiltrate-nigerian-communities/

SoftSport:
Repented terrorists are people who once joined violent groups but later changed their minds, apologized, and decided to live peacefully.

Brendaniel:
Only in the north will APC declare and accepts terrorists as repentant, in the south even protesters are sometimes shot without repentance from APC. Tinubu continuing from where Buhari stopped.

Highways:
Where Are The Cows? Is Evans A Herdsman?'


When Funke Olakurin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti was murdered instead of Bola Tinubu to make sure that the perpetrators were brought to book, he ended up making fun of the death of the young lady by turning everything into tribalism by showing his hates for Igbos.


Tinubu has never spoken against the deadly activities of Fulani herdsmen across the country

The same stand Adeyinka Grandson gave on the death of Fasoranti's daughter is where Tinubu, the leader of the Yoruba Conservatives stands. Please see Tinubu's video below. pic.twitter.com/COhiSvabqW

— Adeyinka Grandson (@deyinkagrandson) July 14, 2019

Mrs Olakunrin died of gunshot wounds in July 2019 after her vehicle was attacked by armed men, suspected to be marauding Fulani bandits whose violent activities had reached a frightening level across the southwest states.


Those arrested suspects include Lawal Mazaje, 40, from Felele area of Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, from Jada area of Adamawa State; Mohammed Usman, 26, from Illela area of Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar, 25, from Shinkafi area of Zamfara State....

However, the leader of the team, identified only as Tambaya, and three others are yet to be found.

Tambaya has been declared wanted by the police and he is said to be capable of communicating in Hausa, Fulfude and Pidgin English.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/388382-afenifere-police-speak-on-arrest-of-alleged-killers-of-fasorantis-daughter.html

sonsomegrigbo:
THESE IPOB PEOPLE AGAIN











Honestly they should just allow them go
..



Make them go see shege pro max..


To come back ehn, dem go hear ween