A surrendered Boko Haram terrorist, who is in the custody of troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, has said a factional leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, told them while in the forests that the Nigerian Government was insincere and cheated them.
The surrendered terrorist, according to a release from MNJTF on Friday, added that Shekau was worse than those he condemned and he was happy to have escaped from the sect.
In the release obtained by Punch from the MNJTF Chief of Public Information, Col Timothy Antigha, 47 Boko Haram fighters surrendered to Sector 1 of the Force with their family members.
The surrendered terrorist, who spoke about Shekau and whose name was concealed, admitted to having participated in various operations in Banki, Fotokol, Gamboru Ngala, New Marte, Chikun Gudu, among others.
He said, “They told us that we were being lied to and cheated by apostate governments, but I have not seen any difference between Shekau and those he has been condemning. He may even be worse than them. I am having it a lot better here because since we came out of the bush, we have been fed and catered for.”
In the release, another surrendered terrorist said, “If you do not speak a particular language, you cannot be appointed a commander or made a guard in the bush. He (Shekau) also said that you couldn’t even be allowed to go for tax collection. This discriminatory attitude made some of us feel that we were not trusted and good enough to be given responsibilities.”
A female member of the group lamented the severe abuse of women in the camps and prayed that no woman should find herself in the situation she recently escaped from.
The military spokesman, Antigha, said, “The MNJTF renews the call on other misled fighters in the bush to come out. It is essential to add that MNJTF troops contributing countries have structures and programmes in place to receive all those who surrender.
“Similarly, the MNJTF urges communities to accept repentant terrorists back after their rehabilitation, even though some of them had perpetrated heinous crimes. The MNJTF shares in the understanding that such a gesture by communities will go a long way in the continuing efforts to defeat terrorism and build peace in the Lake Chad Basin.”
