Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State
…..Pledges to rehabilitate repentant terrorists
By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has reaffirmed his government commitment to continue to deradicalize, rehabilitate and reintegrate the voluntarily surrendered Boko Haram Insurgents and rescued youths and children abducted and conscripted by the Insurgents.
He also appealed to the people to accept and forgive the repentant terrorists, while the state government will continue to collaborate with the security agencies in the state to provide adequate security to lives and property of the citizenry.
The governor stated this on Monday when some of the abducted Chibok and Honk girls and their children were presented to the governor by the Borno State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo .
Zulum expressed happiness with their escape and prayed for the release and rescue of others who are still in the hand of the Insurgents.
The Women Affairs Commissioner, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo earlier in her remarks, said the ladies and the children are indigenes of Borno and Adamawa states who took the bull by the horns risking their lives to have trekked for hours in the bush alone in search of safety from the Insurgents when they escaped.
She added that three of the ladies are from Chibok LGA of Borno State who were abducted in Takulasha village of Chibok LGA of Borno State on 3/10/2020 by the Boko Haram Insurgents while the other three ladies were abducted in kufere village of Hong LGA of Adamawa State on 5/5/221.
Hajiya Zuwaira lamented that the ladies and the children took the pain to escape from boko Haram custody in the bush trekking for almost 6 hours in the bush before seeing the light and reaching security point for their rescue.
She added that they have since then been under the security custody as usual for profiling, screening or interrogation and medical attention before they were later handed over to the state government by the military for further deradicalization and rehabilitation before they will be reintegrated with their families and the society at large
The Commissioner noted that the girls would be catered for and engaged in skills acquisition scheme before being reunited with their loved .
She disclosed that there were 9 children, one pregnant lady , 4 ladies with 2 children each , one lady who is not pregnant and don’t have ma child and another lady who is now being hospitalized it responding to treatment at the hospital.