VIDEO: ‘WE DID NOT JOIN VOLUNTARILY’ — ‘REPENTANT’ BOKO HARAM MEMBER BEGS NIGERIANS FOR FORGIVENESS, ACCEPTANCE
Read Time:1 Minute, 35 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
A ‘repentant’ Boko Haram member from Bama Local Government Area of Borno State has made an emotional appeal to Nigerians, urging the public to accept him and other ex-fighters back into society as they seek a fresh start after years of insurgency.
In a viral video circulating online and aired by News Century TV, the ‘repentant’ terrorist said he and many of his colleagues did not willingly join the insurgent group but were forcibly conscripted after Boko Haram fighters overran and captured Bama town at the height of the conflict.
According to him, residents who remained in the town after its capture were left with little or no choice but to submit to the authority of the terrorists.
“We did not join Boko Haram voluntarily. When they captured Bama, many of us were forced into their ranks,” he said.
The ‘repentant’ insurgent appealed for understanding and forgiveness from Nigerians, insisting that he and others who have laid down their arms are determined to embrace peace and lawful living.
He assured the public that he would never return to terrorist activities, stressing that the horrors of insurgency had convinced him to reject violence permanently.
The ‘repentant’ terrorist further pledged that he and his colleagues would cooperate fully with security agencies and government authorities in efforts aimed at restoring normalcy, stability and lasting peace across the country.
“We are asking Nigerians to accept us. We have changed and we will never go back to terrorism again. We are ready to work with the authorities for peace and a better Nigeria,” he said.
The video has sparked fresh debate over the Federal Government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programmes for former insurgents, with many Nigerians divided over whether repentant Boko Haram members should be accepted back into their communities.
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