Security experts, civil society groups, and victims of terrorism have strongly criticized the Nigerian government’s reintegration of repentant Boko Haram terrorists into society, accusing it of neglecting the needs of victims while offering comfort to former insurgents.
Security consultant Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi condemned the recent reintegration of over 5,000 ex-terrorists, calling it an affront to victims and fallen heroes, especially after the tragic deaths of 22 soldiers in Borno. He argued that terrorists should face retribution for their actions, not be reintegrated, as it sends the wrong message about national security.
Jabi further expressed concern that farmers, displaced by the terror, now live in dire conditions in IDP camps while terrorists are brought back into communities. He called for a "holistic decision" on how to deal with insurgents—either with a hardline approach or by excluding them entirely from society.
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani of CISLAC criticized the government for rehabilitating those who committed atrocities without compensating the victims, urging for justice to be served through proper prosecution.
Chibok community leaders, including Mutah Nkeki, also decried the reintegration program, claiming it was an injustice that further victimized those affected by Boko Haram. Nkeki alleged that even after some of the kidnapped Chibok girls escaped or were rescued, they were still kept from their families by the government, while former insurgents are treated as “heroes.”
In response, Borno State’s Commissioner for Information, Prof. Usman Tar, denied these allegations, stating that the government had allocated significant resources to both support victims and reintegrate repentant insurgents. He also addressed claims about the Chibok girls, emphasizing that adult survivors cannot be forced to return to their homes if they choose not to.
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