Despite the reintegration of ex-Boko Haram terrorists into the society, governors of North-Eastern states in Nigeria have told President Muhammadu Buhari that the group was recruiting more members in the region.
The Nigerian Government had in March 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor programme to encourage Boko Haram terrorists to surrender.
The programme is based on Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Re-Integration of former members of the Islamic sect that has terrorised the North-East region for over 10 years.
A total of 881 ‘repentant’ former terrorists have been released since the programme was launched four years ago, with 601 released in July, 2020.
But the governors in a meeting with President Buhari alongside heads of security agencies on Monday recommended that the police should be empowered with adequate equipment to bridge the existing gap in manpower.
Governors Babagana Zulum of Borno State, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said the governors highlighted the key security challenges in the region.
He said, “The government of the region has commended the efforts of the Federal Government in securing the region.
“However, we told the President that there is a need for the Federal Government to address the causes of insurgency, which are not limited to endemic poverty, hunger among others.
“One of the root causes is that of access to farm lands, people need to go back to their farmlands, people need to be resettled in their original homes so that they can restart their means of livelihood.
“This is one of the reasons the insurgents are recruiting more into the sect. Therefore, creating an enabling environment (that) will enable the people to go about their normal duties will no doubt reduce the cases of insurgency.
“There is a need for the federal, states and the local government to come together with a view to proffering solutions that will end this crisis in the region. But most importantly, there is war on the economy in the region and I think that is why we are here.”
