Some Boko Haram terrorists are begging Nigerians for forgiveness after killing 350,000 persons, kidnapping hundreds of schoolchildren and displacing close to three million in last 12 year of their nefarious activities in North-East Nigeria. 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in June reported that  Boko Haram terrorists have killed about 350,000 people in the North-East, of whom 90 per cent were children since they took up arms against the Nigerian state in 2009. 

The Nigerian army in a statement on Monday, disclosed that a so-called bomb expert for the terrorist group known as Musa Adamu, a.k.a Mala Musa Abuja, and his second in command Usman Adamu, a.k.a Abu Darda, along with their families and followers surrendered to the troops of operation Hadin Kai in Bama Local Government Area of Borno. 

Photos shared on the army’s social media page saw the surrendered terrorists display several placards with different inscriptions such as “Nigerians, please forgive us”, “surrender and live”, “surrender and be free”, among others. 

Apart from carrying out devastating attacks across North-East, Boko Haram insurgents bombed the United Nation Building in 2011 and the Nyanya motor park, both locations within the Federal Capital Territory, killing over hundred persons. 

In 2014, Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped over 270 school girls in Chibok, a community in Borno State, a development widely condemned across the globe.

Similarly, in 2018, the insurgents kidnapped over 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State, releasing all of the students but Leah Sharibu, a Christian who refused to denounce her faith. 

Despite records of Boko Haram terrorists’ crime against Nigeria, however,  Mr President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 established “Operation Safe Corridor” with the mandate to deradicalise and rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram fighters. 

The programme which has seen many so called repentant Boko Haram militias rehabilitated and freed, has been widely criticised and appraised as ineffective as many of the freed insurgents reunite with the terrorist organisation.

Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, who escaped two attacks from the insurgents, recently said the rehabilitation and deradicalisation program is not working as those rehabilitated return to join their group. 

“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected,” Mr Zulum said. “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.”

In his 2021 Easter homily, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Mathew Kukah, berated the regime of Mr Buhari for wasting billions on rehabilitation of insurgents who have continued to wreck havoc on the country on many fronts. 

“Sadly, human life is hemorrhaging so badly in Nigeria, but the greatest tragedy is the death of empathy from those in power.

Mysteriously, the government is investing billions of naira in rehabilitating so-called Boko Haram repentant members and their other partners in crime, in the belief that they want to turn a new leaf,” Mr Kukah said. 

“These criminals have waged war against their country, murdered thousands of citizens, destroyed infrastructure and rendered entire families permanently displaced and dislocated.

Why should rehabilitating the perpetrator be more important than bringing succour to the victims?,” he asked.