Some former members of the Islamist militia, Boko Haram, protested in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Friday alleging abandonment by the government.
About 6,900 members of Boko Haram surrendered to the Nigerian authorities and renounced their membership of the terrorist organisation.
The former terrorists, who are undergoing a deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri, broke out of the facility, and protested on the streets asking the government to pay them the N30,000 allowance it promised.
The protest caused tension and gridlock along the Bulumkutu – Maiduguri Highway before the security operatives arrived to douse the tension.
The former Islamists reportedly said they were forced to protest to register their disappointment to the world and the authorities because they have been neglected, left without adequate food and other welfare amenities.
They said the authorities concerned had promised to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into the society to enable them live a lawful life as responsible Nigerians.
Reaction
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.”
(Premium Times)
