Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum has said Nigerians have no reason to reject surrendered Boko Haram terrorists who have killed thousands and have millions displaced.
According to United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Boko Haram have killed over 350,000 Nigerians and displaced over three million persons.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock Villa, in Abuja, Gov. Zulum said
“Unless we want to continue with an endless war, I see no reason why we should reject those who are willing to surrender."
He also added “More than 100,000 people were killed and therefore, I am in total support of this ongoing surrender by the insurgents. We will support them and those that have surrendered shall be dealt with according to the extant rules and regulations."
In June, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported that Boko Haram terrorists have killed about 350,000 people in the North-East in which 90 per cent are children since 2009.
Mr Zulum’s advocacy in support of surrendering terrorists comes few months after he criticised the Buhari regime’s rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme for terrorists.
In March, he called the programme a failure said the some of the rehabilitated terrorists who surrendered are on a mission to spy on Nigeria's security system and afterwards rejoin their fellow in the bush to renew attacks on the country.
“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often, those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative, or have been deradicalised, usually go back and rejoin the terror group after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process,” Mr Zulum had said then.
It is no news, that President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has continued to release Boko Haram terrorists into communities in the North East, despite their despicable actions against the country.