Some repentant Boko Haram members who surrendered to the Nigerian government have staged a protest in Borno state over the non-payment of their allowance.
The former terrorists, who are being held at Hajj Camp in Borno, blocked the Bulumkutu-Maiduguri highway on Friday, August 18, causing a traffic jam.
They claimed that the federal government had reneged on its promise to pay them N30,000 monthly as part of their rehabilitation program.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “We want our money”, “We are not criminals”, and “Pay us our allowance”.
They also chanted slogans such as “Tinubu, fulfill your promise”, “We are tired of suffering”, and “We need peace”.
The protest was reportedly triggered by the delay in the payment of their July allowance, which they said was due on August 15.
The repentant Boko Haram members said they had been living in deplorable conditions at the camp, without adequate food, water, or medical care.
They also said they have been denied the opportunity to go home to their families.
They alleged that they had been subjected to harassment and discrimination by some security agents and civilians.
They appealed to the federal government to fulfill its obligations to them and ensure their smooth reintegration into society.
The protest was later dispersed by security operatives, who assured them that their grievances would be addressed.
The protest comes as the Nigerian government is facing increasing pressure to improve the conditions of ex-Boko Haram members in the deradicalization and rehabilitation program.
In recent months, there have been several reports of ex-Boko Haram members escaping from the camps, some of whom have returned to the terrorist group.
The government has said that it is working to improve the conditions in the camps, but the protesters say that more needs to be done.
Reacting to the development, the state’s commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said ‘biometrics registration’ for repentant insurgents had resumed after the incident.
“As normalcy restored, officials of Borno State Government have on Friday resumed the biometrics data capture of repentant Boko Haram insurgents.
“A total of 6,900 repentant insurgents are processed under the multi-agency framework of Disarmament, Demobilisation, Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation, Reconciliation and Reintegration (DDDRRR) otherwise known as the “Borno Model,” Mr Tar added.
He explained that the data processing process was scheduled to be conducted in six batches by a certified team of intelligence and ICT experts with the utmost level of professionalism and confidentiality in data management.
“Due to a bridge in communication, those who were supposed to appear for the data capture at a later date appeared on Friday, August 18, 2023, and this led to confusion at a camp where the exercise was being conducted.
“The Borno State government wishes to assure the public that the situation is under control and normalcy has been restored at the venue of the biometric exercise.
“The incident illustrated the sensitive task which authorities face in re-inserting former fighters back into communities that have often suffered from years of attacks and kidnappings during a 13-year Islamist insurgency,” he concluded.
