Officials of the Borno State Government have disclosed that repentant members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are required to swear an oath using the Quran before they can be reintegrated into society under the state’s deradicalisation programme.
According to government officials, the oath serves as a solemn religious commitment by former insurgents to permanently renounce violence and avoid any return to terrorist activities.
The officials explained that the process forms part of a wider rehabilitation initiative aimed at deradicalising ex-fighters through psychological counselling, vocational training, and social support before their eventual return to communities.
The programme, however, continues to spark nationwide debate, particularly among victims of insurgency and families affected by years of attacks across Nigeria’s North-East region.
Critics argue that former terrorists should face prosecution for crimes committed rather than be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. Supporters, on the other hand, insist that long-term peace and the end of insurgency require a combination of justice, rehabilitation, and reconciliation efforts.
The controversy surrounding Nigeria’s approach to handling repentant terrorists remains one of the country’s most sensitive and divisive security issues.
