Deradicalization of repentant Boko Haram members is not working – Gov Zulum

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, says the deradicalization of repentant Boko Haram members is not working.

In 2016 the military started Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalization and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members.

The main objective of the operation is to integrate repentant Boko-Haram members into the community. More than 500 ex-Boko Haram members have completed the program.

However, the Borno State Governor said the initiative needs to be reviewed because some of the ex-Boko Haram members only come to spy on communities and then return to join the group.

He said this while speaking at the North-East Governors’ Forum meeting in Bauchi on Thursday,

In his words: “Another aspect of the war against the insurgency that needs to be urgently reviewed or modified, is the issue of deradicalization of Boko Haram terrorists, who have been captured or have willingly surrendered themselves to the authorities,” he said. 

“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalization or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often, those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative, or have been deradicalized, usually, go back and rejoin the terror group after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process.

“In addition, the host communities where the reintegration process is going on usually resent the presence of Boko Haram terrorists, even if they have been deradicalized, because of the despicable and atrocious activities they have committed in the past.

“So the idea of deradicalization, as currently being implemented, needs to be reviewed because the main goals and the underlying objectives behind the initiative are not being achieved.” 

The Governor suggested that the best option available for now is to immediately prosecute the terrorists in accordance with the terrorism Act.

He said those people who were forcefully recruited but have been rescued or have escaped from the group, should be the ones to undergo the deradicalization.

The governor lamented the delay in the prosecution of insurgents.  He said prosecutorial powers should be devolved to the state attorneys-general to make the process faster.

“On the prosecution of terrorists, we must make efforts to avoid the current encumbrances and intricacies associated with the process, which usually takes considerable time, by urging the appropriate federal authorities to devolve the powers of the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation to state attorneys-general in order to facilitate the prosecution process,” he said.