The Nigerian authorities have released 2,163 former Boko Haram terrorists in nine years, and 390 more insurgents will increase this number to 2,553 in April.

These thousands who have engaged in acts of terror have found a path, made by the government, through which they can escape prosecution.

Sometimes described as ‘repentant terrorists’, the federal and state governments put these captured terrorists through a six-month Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme. Afterwards, the government certifies them repentant and release them into communities.

Media reports published on Thursday, some of which can be found here and here, disclosed Yobe State Government’s plans to receive and reintegrate 54 indigenes of the state who are part of a cohort of 390 former Boko Haram terrorists set to complete the deradicalisation programme between April 14 and 19.

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FIJ understands that these repentant terrorists under the deradicalisation programme are able to evade prosecution because they ‘surrendered’ to the military.

The DRR programme is facilitated under the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), which the federal government launched in 2016 in response to the activities of insurgents in the northeast, especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Further checks by FIJ showed that the initiative was designed to “encourage defection within the ranks of Boko Haram Islamic State of West Africa Province through the corridor of the opportunity offered by the DRR Programme as part of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s overall efforts to end the insurgency in the North East”.

The programme is a joint effort of stakeholders such as state governments, local leaders and the armed forces that offers a pathway for former insurgents and criminals, especially those who voluntarily defect, to be reintegrated into society.

READ ALSO: Unhappiness in Borno over Return of ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Members

In February, Brigadier General Yusuff Ali, the coordinator of OPSC, revealed that 2,190 repentant terrorists had been reintegrated through the initiative since its inception in 2016.

Of the 2,190 former terrorists, 2,163 were Nigerians and 27 were foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic reported to have been repatriated to their respective countries.

He noted that 789 ex-combatants were undergoing rehabilitation, with 381 expected to graduate in 2025. Similarly, 825 repentant terrorists, 14 of whom were foreigners from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, were transferred to the DRR Camp to commence training between July and November.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HAVE SURRENDERED

As of 2023, 160,000 Boko Haram members have surrendered to the government and military.

General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defense Staff, also said that 129,417 Boko Haram terrorists and their family members surrendered to security forces between July 10 and December 9.

Of those who surrendered during that period, 30,426 were fighters, 36,774 were women and 62,265 were children.