By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

The adoption of military strategy using kinetic and non-kinetic approaches against terrorists in the North-East, especially in Borno State, with full support received from Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, has really paid off, as residents now have some relief, compared to the past.

Additionally, the ‘Operation Safe Haven’, initiated by the Federal Government and with support from Zulum as well as the tireless sacrifices of the military, other security agencies, the Civilian Joint Task Force/hunters/ vigilantes and stakeholders, has also brought relief to Borno residents, the North-East and country at large.

Prior to taking over the mantle of leadership in 2019, Zulum, who is serving his second term (precisely six years as number one citizen and Chief Security Officer), has demonstrated courage, vision and sacrifices by keying into the legacies of his predecessor, former Governor Kashim Shettima, now Vice President, in Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their liberated communities.

Zulum sustained the initiative, expending billions of naira and closing, in the process, almost all officially designated IDP camps in the state, and resettling millions of people voluntarily back to their ancestral homes.

Meanwhile, about 300, 000 members of Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have since surrendered to troops, while many, amongst them, have been disarmed, de-radicalized and reintegrated into the society.

Among the local government areas hitherto under the control of Boko Haram, but now liberated and locals resettled, include Bama, Gwoza, Damboa, Mafa, Dikwa, Kala- Balge, Ngala, Marte, Monguno, Nganzai, Magumeri, Gubio, Damasak and Kukawa.

In 2021, Zulum, accompanied by some Federal Government, officials arrived in Marwa, Cameroon, to supervise the voluntary repatriation of 9,800 Nigerians of Borno origin, whom were among the 46,000 Nigerians taking refuge in Minawao camp in that country.

The 9,800 Nigerians constituted the first batch of citizens who had shown willingness to be evacuated to resettlement houses built by Borno government in Bama and Banki towns. Several batches of them subsequently returned home.

In February this year, Zulum also led another delegation for phased batch repatriation from Chad.

About 1,768 families, comprising 7,790 people, returned to Nigeria after they fled the Boko Haram crisis to Baga Sola in Chad Republic.

As it is, thousands of refugees from Niger, Chad and Cameron were successfully repatriated by the Zulum administration.

Just recently, over 15,000 Abadam refugees were repatriated from Niger Republic to their ancestral home in Malam Fatori, the headquarters of Abadam LGA by Zulum who doubles as the Deputy Chairman of the Federal Government Committee on Repatriation of Refugees.

Zulum had constructed 2,000 housing units for the resettlement of returnees at Dalwa, Darajamal, Tarmuwa(Bama) and Gwoza for returnees in addition to 3,000 transitional shelter in Mafa, Bama, Marte and Dikwa.

This is in addition to thousands of housing units constructed in Damasak, Biu, Chibok, Damboa, Here, Maiduguri, and other local government areas that were hitherto handed over to IDPs and other victims of insurgency.

Results

All these concerted efforts and courage by Zulum, through the RRR and the ongoing Disarmament, Demobilization, De-radicalization and Reintegration (DDDR) process, have yielded the desired results.

On August 30, 2021, a security multi-stakeholder town-hall meeting was hosted by Zulum in Maiduguri and extensively discussed the pros, cons and implications of ongoing surrender by Boko Haram fighters, after which the meeting came up with 16 resolutions which included demands that firearms are retrieved from all repentant insurgents, while profiling is made stringent in order “to avoid hasty release of hardened elements to the larger society”.

The meeting, held at the multipurpose hall of Borno Government House, was attended by representatives of victims of Boko Haram attacks, National and State Assembly members, traditional rulers led by Shehu of Borno, Borno elders, heads of security agencies, Muslim and Christian leaders, members of the academic community, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, youth and women groups, labour unions, civil society groups, local and international NGOs, political parties and top government officials.

Those in attendance made frank presentations during the meeting before the 16 resolutions were reached.

The meeting came after Zulum had consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari and then-Chief of Defence Staff, seeking ways to address concerns over the surrender of Boko Haram fighters, given the havoc the insurgents had wreaked and the need to find ways of ending the over decade insurgency; and to prevent the insurgents from merging with ISWAP and prolonging the crisis consequently.

At that meeting, Zulum called on all participants to be very open and analytical in their submissions looking at potential advantages, problems and implications of having repentant insurgents back.

The governor said while it was certainly difficult accepting the killers of our loved ones, it is equally important to find ways of ending the insurgency, describing the Boko Haram surrender as dealing with “two extreme conditions” because one hand accepting insurgents has its implications while rejecting them could swell the ranks of rival ISWAP faction that was still armed and waging war.

Zulum also pointed to the case of Afghanistan where 20 years of military fight ended with Taliban now in control of government.

Rising from the meeting, the participants came up with the resolutions in a communique that was signed by then- Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan, now Senator and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN (APC Borno Central) who, as a key member of the state’s Security Council, chaired the Communique Drafting Committee.

The communiqué said: “The stakeholders appreciated the untiring efforts and support from the Federal Republic of Nigeria towards ending Boko Haram insurgency and other criminalities in Borno State and the country at large.

“The stakeholders commended the zeal and determination of His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, FNSE, mni, Executive Governor of Borno State towards restoration of lasting peace in the State. The meeting further noted the unparalleled support rendered to the IDPs and vulnerable by His Excellency, the Executive Governor.

“The stakeholders welcomed the effort of the Federal and State Governments in the provision of state-of-the-art equipment and other logistics to the security operatives that led to the renewed vigour in the fight against insurgents which resulted in the recent surrender.

“The meeting urged the Federal and State Governments to handle the issues of repentant Boko Haram insurgents with utmost care and within the instrumentality of the law”.

Other resolutions stressed the need for proper profiling of repentant Boko Haram insurgents to avoid hasty release of hardened elements to larger society.

The meeting also welcomed the massive surrender by the Boko Haram insurgents and urged those still in the bush to follow suit, eve as it called for all firearms and offensive weapons used by the repentant insurgents to be retrieved from them.

The meeting strongly advocated for the strengthening of the deradicalisation mechanism of Operation Safe Corridor so as to involve parents of the surrendered Boko Haram members, Ulamas, traditional/community leaders and the media among others.

Inside the DDDR

Insecurity and conflict in the North-East of Nigeria, especially Borno, linked to insurgency, has 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 took place in the North-East with Borno the most hit, as it accounts for over 80% of such destructions.

Borno, under Zulum and his deputy, Dr. Umar Usman Kadafur, have to take the bull by the horn in managing the over decade Boko Haram crisis, as about 300,000 terrorists and their families have laid down their arms and surrendered.

Those who surrendered are members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) and ISWAP.

Both are designated terrorist groups by the UN Security Council.

Despite paucity of funds, the Zulum administration has touched and positively transformed all the sectors including Education, Health, Agriculture, Water, Sports, Works and Housing.

Leading the DDDR) process is the Deputy Governor, Kadafur.

He is the Chairman of the committee set up by the state government, which parades technocrats, security experts, Non-Governmental Organization, (NGOs), traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders.

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

In separate interviews, 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 had no regrets laying down their arms and surrendering to troops, as they had been well taken care of at the camp, while many of them acquired various skills that made them economically self reliant after their reintegration into the society.

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

Another repentant insurgent who said he had two wives and six children in the camp, narrated, “I am very satisfied with the treatment I and my family received 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”.