How DDDR Of Repentant Terrorists Paid Off Under Gov. Zulum in Borno

How DDDR of repentant terrorists paid off under Gov Zulum in Borno

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

Insecurity and conflict in the North-East of Nigeria, especially Borno state linked to the insurgency, have persisted and

posed critical challenge. The overarching effects, whether immediate, secondary, or long-lasting, visible or hidden, are many and multifaceted.

According to World Bank Report, about US$ 9 billion worth of infrastructure damages that took place in the North East with Borno the most hot, as it account to over 80% of such destructions.

Borno State Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and his Deputy, Dr. Umar Usman Kadafur have to take the bull by the horn and doing wonderfully well in managing the over decade Boko Haram crisis, as thousands of terrorists groups and their families have laid down their arms and surrendered.

Those surrendered and still surrendering are members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), also referred together as Boko Haram. Both are designated terrorist groups by the UN Security Council.

With paucity of funds at the disposal of the state government, the present administration has touched and positively transformed all the sectors, as Education, Health, Agriculture, Water, Sports, Works and Housing too numerous to mention have received a boost.

Leading the Disarmament, Demobilization, Deradicalization and Reintegration (DDDR) process, is no any other person than His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Umar Usman Kadafur.

He is the Chairman of the Committee set up by the State Government, which has technocrats, security experts, Some Non-Governmental Organization, (NGOs), traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders.

All aims and falls within the scope of the Borno State’s 25 Year Development Framework, and 10-year Transformation Initiatives.

Presently, there are over 80,000 surrendered Boko Haram members who are mostly camped at a designated centres in Maiduguri. They are properly taken care of, as many who have undergone rehabilitation have since been reintegrated into the society.

During the last visit of the Deputy Commandant of National Institute of Policy Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Mr. David Egbeji and his Delegation to Maiduguri, the Deputy Governor used the forum and solicited support from the institute going forward.

Kadafur said, since inception on 29th May, 2019, the present administration under the good leadership of Professor Zulum had invested huge resources on managing the over decade insecurity posed by terrorists, which according to him, the commitment and synergy displaced by the military, other security agencies, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders led to the relative peace currently enjoyed across the state.

In addition, the Deputy Governor said, millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs have been relocated to their ancestral homes, with scores of Boko Haram members, including their families and those forcefully conscripted laid down their arms and surrendered to troops.

Kadafur however said, what is needed now is for all and sundry including members of the NISS to key into the State Government’s DDDR, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Process for sustainable development.

“On behalf of my Principal, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, i welcome you to Borno state, the ‘Home of Peace’. I understand that you are here for a Study Tour, which is a welcome development, knowing fully well that Borno has suffered alot in the hands of terrorists for over a decade.

“As responsible government, we call on you to please lay your helping hands in the ongoing DDDR of over 80,000 surrendered Boko Haram members who are mostly camped at a designated centres in Maiduguri.

“I want to inform you that the commitment and synergy displaced by the present administration with support from the military, other security agencies, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders led to the relative peace currently enjoyed across the state.

“This is in addition to millions of our Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs who have been relocated to their ancestral homes, with scores of Boko Haram members, including their families and those forcefully conscripted laid down their arms and surrendered to troops.

He therefore assured the delegation of Government’s continuous cooperation and collaboration with the institution so as to improve security situation in the state.

Earlier in his address at that very important parley, the Deputy Commandant of the institution, Mr. David Egbeji told the Deputy Governor that participants who are undergoing 10-Month security Course at the institution were drawn from military, para-military, regulatory agencies, MDAs and other four African countries including Rwanda, Niger Republic among others.

Egbeji pointed out that the course is intended to equip participants with requisite knowledge to address dynamic and complex security challenges in their respective countries and foster inter-agency collaboration to ensure adequate

security.

He further said, the participants were in Borno to interface with relevant stakeholders and have a firsthand information on the security situation in the state.

The Deputy Commandant, while commending Governor Zulum and his Deputy, Kadafur for their doggedness and commitment in the fight against terrorists, pledged that NISS will partner with State Government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure peace is restored in the Borno and the country as a whole.

“On behalf of His Excellency, Governor Babagana Zulum, Government and the good people of Borno, I want to commend DSS operatives for their unflinching support towards the fight against Boko Haram and other criminalities in this part of the country.

“Borno State Government under the leadership of governor Babagana Zulum, with support from the military, Police, DSS, para-military including Civilian Joint Task Force, Hunters/Vigilantes and other stakeholders have been making frantic efforts to ensure safe return and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs back to their respective communities with dignity.

“To this end, the synergy that exists between these stakeholders have also assisted tremendously in receiving repentant Boko Haram insurgents as peace return in most parts of the state.

Interestingly, while approaching the Hajj camp in Maiduguri, the state capital, one would begin to see thousands of these repentant Boko Haram members, some with their wives and children in different make shift tents.

Although gaining access to the camp is very difficult following the security cover at the entrance, our Correspondent was amongst the North East Development Commission’s NEDC’s team that visited the Camp where they interacted with each other freely.

In an interview with some of the repentant insurgents who simply gave their names as Mallam Isa Usman, Mohammed Ali, Bukar Babagana, Yusuf Jidda and host of others said, they have no regrets of laying down their arms and surrendered to troops, as they have been well taken care off at the camp.

“We are very comfortable with the DDDR, government is taking good care of our feeding, health and even some of oir little children are receiving both western and islamic education by Non -Governmental Organizations like UNICEF etc….” said Mallam Isa Usman who claimed to have stayed in the camp for over one year after he surrendered to troops in Sambisa forest.

According to another repentant insurgents who said, he has two wives and 6 children in the camp, said, “Am very satisfied with the treatment meted to me and my family in the camp. I want to call on the remaining people who have carried arms against the government and security agencies to repent and embrace the Operation Safe Corridor initiated by the federal government”.

Addressing the repentant insurgents, the chairman of NEDC, Major General Paul Tarfa (Rtd), who was recieved by the Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum at the Camp, Brigadier General Abdullahi Sabi Ishaq, expressed satisfaction with the physical appearance of the repentant insurgents and their families.

He assured that NEDC and the newly reconstituted Board will complement efforts of the state, federal governments, development partners towards the repentant insurgents and their families to acquire western and skills education, food and clothing, so that they would be reintegrated bact to the society.

As it is for now, more terrorists are expected to lay down their arms for peace, as Government, security agencies and all stakeholders sustain it’s fight against terrorism in the state and the country as a whole. End