The Borno State Government has disclosed that repentant terrorists undergoing deradicalisation are required to swear a solemn oath on the Holy Quran before they are formally reintegrated into their host communities, as part of the state’s structured programme to manage the return of former insurgents.
The revelation was made by a top Borno State official who explained that the oath-swearing process serves as a spiritual and psychological commitment by the repentant fighters to abandon violence, renounce extremist ideology, and live peacefully as law-abiding citizens.
According to the official, the exercise is conducted in the presence of Islamic scholars, community leaders, and government representatives to ensure credibility, transparency, and community acceptance of the reintegration process.
The Borno Government maintained that the initiative is a critical component of its broader peacebuilding strategy in a state that has suffered over a decade of devastating insurgency at the hands of Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
However, the disclosure has sparked debate among security analysts and survivors of Boko Haram attacks, with some questioning the effectiveness and long-term reliability of oath-based commitments as a deradicalisation tool.
Human rights groups have also called on the government to ensure that victims and affected communities are adequately carried along in the reintegration process to prevent tension and potential reprisals.
CDA News Nigeria will continue to follow developments around Nigeria’s counter-insurgency and reintegration efforts.
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