More findings indicate that even as the repentant terrorists are settled into their various home communities, the females among them have complained that since their return, it has been difficult for them to marry as the law-abiding men in the society avoid them like a plague.

This fresh concern constitutes a matter for serious concern to the various  community leaders.

Official records put the total number of surrendered insurgents and their families at 162,000, but no such records show the number of spinsters, divorcees, or widows among them.

Some of the leaders of the communities have complained to that their men are scared of venturing into any form of romance with the surrendered female insurgents despite the fact that some of the ladies have been expressing their secret desire for suitors to marry or remarry them.

“These ladies desperately want to marry or remarry, but men seem scared of them, as no suitors approach them with such proposal,” a ward head at Old Maiduguri, Modu Grema Wakil, said.

“I have not compiled the number of such ladies, but they send messages to us as community leaders over the matter,” he said.

Wakil continued: “Our fear is that if these women and girls do not get the men to marry, they may be tempted to renege on their repentance vow from terror activities and return to the bush.

“But when they get suitors and marry or remarry in the law-abiding society, other girls and women still in the bush could be encouraged to surrender and come back home.”

Asked if the problem was a matter of societal stigma, the community leader assured: “No. I don’t think so because the societal stigma against them is waning.”

He stressed,  “but we are severely pained by the fact that suitors are scared of marrying them, because most people still don’t believe they have genuinely repented, and, therefore, they may slaughter their husbands and flee back to the bush.”

Wakil called on the Borno State government to create a database of such repenting female insurgents with a view to persuading suitors to approach them and organising marriages for them.

Further expressing his fears, he maintained: “The inability to marry or remarry at home may tempt them to renege on their repentance.”

Responding, the Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, said “It is a welcome development that they are expressing their desire to marry or remarry, because it will help to stabilise them in the law-abiding society.”

She said the state government would work with the Maiduguri-based NGO, Allamin Foundation, to create the required database for that purpose.

“The Foundation has forwarded to us the Charter of Demands of the various victims of the insurgency, including such women and girls,” Gambo stated, pointing out further, “We are still expecting a report from the Foundation on such demands to enable us do the needful for every set of victims.”

The National Orientation Agency’s (NOA) Assistant Director of Planning, Research, and Strategy, Mr. Audu Ayuba, disclosed this on Friday during a training on developing staff capacity.

In Abuja, there was a training on DDRR (Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration, and Reconciliation) and PCVE (Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism).

Ayuba, who presented a paper titled, “Overview of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC)”, said that out of the 2,167 trainees, 2,140 were Nigerians and 27 foreigners from Cameroun, Chad and Niger.

“Since the inception of the OPSC DRR programme, 2,167 clients have graduated comprising 2,140 Nigerians and 27 foreigners (Cameroun, Chad and Niger).

“They were successfully handed over to their national and state authorities for reintegration. The programme was accepted by the state governments, community leaders and people of the Northeast.

“This was achieved due to continuous community sensitisation visits to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states by the OPSC with the help of technical partners and visits by the state delegates to the DRR camp to see their indigenes.

“There is increased support from development partners and NGOs, both national and international partners such as International Organisation for Migration, Centre for Democracy and Development, United Nations Children’s Fund, Swiss Embassy, etc.’’

The NOA director said that more of the clients had been accepted in their communities and the level of stigmatisation had reduced due to the strategic communication on DDRR, PCVE and OPSC carried out by the stakeholders.

“There is an increase in the number of new admissions for the DRR programme.

“More recently, more than 100,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families have surrendered to the Borno Government due to peace dialogue initiative with the insurgents.

“The DRR camp graduated 559 clients on March 25, 2023.

“There has been the construction of more hostel accommodation with a capacity for 1,500 clients, the programme has also received international recognition as witnessed by the visits of delegations from Cameroun, Chad, Niger and some foreign institutions to study it.

“Furthermore, the United Nation’s Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, visited the DRR camp in Gombe on 30 June 2021,’’ he said.

Ayuba said that the clients were exposed to vocational training of their choice, which included barbing, carpentry, cosmetology, farming, leather works, tailoring, cap weaving/embroidery and welding.

According to him, farming is made compulsory to all the clients in addition to any trade of their choice.

“Some proposed vocational activities that are awaiting approval by partners include: photography, block making, bread/pastry making, driving and maintenance, food processing, painting, plumbing and repair of basic technological devices such as phones and radios,” Ayuba added.

In his remarks, the Director-General, NOA, Dr Garba Abari, said that OPSC was an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to encourage willing and repentant Boko Haram (BH) insurgents to surrender and embrace peace.

“From 2009, when the Boko Haram insurgency started, to date, many lives have been lost, tens of thousands of people displaced, Nigeria and Nigerians suffered economically, socially, politically, culturally and above all suffered serious security challenges leaving citizens in fear.

“The activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) members in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria were major concerns to the government and people of Nigeria as well as the international community.

Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, made this known on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Buhari was honoured by the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum with ‘The award for Strengthening Peace in Africa’.

In his remarks at the African Conference for Peace 2023 in Mauritania, Buhari stated that Africa and the rest of the world are working hard to deal with existential threats to humanity’s existence.

“When I became President in 2015, Boko Haram held about two-thirds of Borno State, half of Yobe State, and a couple of Local Government Areas in Adamawa State, all in the North-East of Nigeria.

“We have been able to retrieve these territories by investing over $1 billion to acquire hard and software weaponry from the US and other friendly countries to carry out sustained operations against insurgency since 2015.”

President Muhammadu Buhari said this on Tuesday, shortly after receiving the “Award for Strengthening Peace in Africa” conferred on him by the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital.

“Although we are winning the war, however, as a country and sub-region, we continue to be negatively impacted by events in Libya, the Central Africa Republic, The Sahel and the war in Ukraine,” Buhari told his counterparts at the African Conference for Peace, 2023.

The President premised his argument on the free circulation of “all sorts of small and light weapons” orchestrated by foreign fighters.

He also reasoned that the idleness of African youths and non-inclusion in discussing issues that concern them is providing a steady recruitment pool for the extremist organisations wreaking havoc in various parts of the continent.

He, therefore, urged leaders to place a premium on youth development, with more seriousness and actionable ideas in promoting skills acquisitions while discouraging idleness.

This is according to a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari receives award for peace in Africa, lists conditions for future harmony.

The President said, “When I assumed power in 2015, Boko Haram held about two-thirds of Borno State, half of Yobe State, and a couple of local government areas in Adamawa State, all in the North-East of Nigeria.

“We have been able to retrieve these swathes of territories by investing over $1bn to acquire hard and software weaponry from the US and other friendly countries to carry out sustained operations against insurgency since 2015

According to him, these monies would have been better spent on critical infrastructure such as healthcare and education.

“Our Armed Forces and those of our partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force (consisting of Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Benin Republic and Nigeria) continue to demonstrate great bravery while paying the ultimate price in securing our collective freedom.

“Despite the difficult times we face, we continue to spend very scarce and lean resources to ensure that we have a well-resourced military force to take on this task. Ideally, these are resources that could be spent on education, healthcare, infrastructure and other social services, but without peace, we have learnt the hard way that our children cannot go to school or seek good healthcare,” the President stated.

He explained that the scenario created serious instability and served as a litmus test for member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in devising means to restore the livelihoods within the region.

The President urged his counterparts to concretise efforts to curtail and possibly prevent the circulation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and the festering of foreign fighters into Africa.

To the current chairperson of the AU, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Buhari said the next Summit of Union must find a pragmatic African approach to resolving the over a decade-old instability that made the country a haven for all kinds of weapons and foreign fighters.

In his remarks, the President of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, said the 2023 conference theme was based on the recommendations of the “Nouakchott Declaration” that emerged from the inaugural conference.

Bayyah explained that the award was given to Buhari for providing good leadership, promoting peace in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-linguistic country like Nigeria and extending his experience and wisdom to other African countries.

The President noted that the threat of terrorism was the most critical security challenge inherited by his regime but expressed delight that normalcy had returned to affected states in the North-East.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, Buhari, therefore, declared that he had fulfilled the commitment he made to Nigerians in his May 29, 2015 inaugural address to frontally and courageously tackle Boko Haram terrorists and stabilise the country.

This is as he said nobody could blackmail him on inexplicable wealth and illicit enrichment while in office, stating that he did not have “one square-inch outside Nigeria.”

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari says nobody can blackmail him on inexplicable wealth and illicit enrichment while in office, saying ‘’I do not have one square-inch outside Nigeria.’

“Speaking at a State banquet, Monday night, organised in his honour in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the President restated his vow to serve God and Nigeria until his last day in office and beyond.

“He advised Nigerians to remain patriotic, saying ‘as I said more than 30 years ago, we have no other country than Nigeria, we must all stay here and salvage it together.’

“Noting that the most critical security challenge inherited by the administration nearly eight years ago was the potent and pervasive threat of terrorism, the President expressed delight that normalcy has returned to affected States in North-East Nigeria.

“He recounted that the threat was particularly pervasive across the North-East geopolitical zone with Yobe State as one of the most hit by the terrorists.

“He, therefore, declared that he has fulfilled the commitment made to Nigerians in his May 29, 2015 inaugural address to frontally and courageously tackle Boko Haram terrorists and stabilize the country.

“‘In the North-East, God has helped us to clear Boko Haram, the economy has picked up and some people are asking me about the achievements of my promise to fight corruption.

“‘Well, under this system fighting corruption is not easy. When I was in the military, as Head of State, I locked up some people because the Constitution says you must declare your assets and people who couldn’t explain the differences in their assets, I locked them up.

“‘In the end, I was also locked up. So, if you want to serve this country you must be prepared for the worst. But one thing that I am grateful to God for is that nobody can blackmail me. I do not have one-square inch outside Nigeria and I intend to stay in Nigeria when I retire from public office.’

“Reflecting on his journey to the presidency and re-election, the President said:

“‘Between 2003 and 2019, I visited all the local government areas in this country. In 2019 when I attempted a re-election, I visited every state and the number of people that came out to see who this Buhari is and was is more than what anybody can pay or force.

“‘So, I thank God that Nigerians understood me and I made a promise that I will serve God and Nigerians.’

“President Buhari commended Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State for taking advantage of the return of peace and security in the state to execute people-oriented projects.

“Describing the governor as very competent and courageous, the President said he was lucky to have him in the saddle as the political leader in the state, supporting the federal efforts to decimate Boko Haram terrorist group.

“The President also acknowledged the cooperation of Nigeria’s neighbours in the fight against insurgency, recalling that his first visit outside the country in 2015 was to Niger and Chad, to garner support on tackling the misguided sect.

“President Buhari thanked the Governor and people of Yobe State, including Senate President Ahmed Lawan, for their warm reception during the State visit.

“In his remarks, Governor Buni expressed delight at the President’s inauguration of landmark projects in the state, including the Yobe International Cargo Airport, Damaturu ultra-modern market, Maternal and Child Health Complex at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, the 2,600 Housing Estate in Potiskum and the Damaturu Mega School at new Bra-Bra.

“He appealed to the President to approve the takeover of the Yobe State International Cargo airport by the Federal Government and the refund of N38 billion expended by the State government on the project.

“Equally, he requested the takeover of the State University Teaching Hospital, including the Maternity and Child Health Complex.

“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, thanked the President for inaugurating a purpose-built, ultra-modern, and fully furnished State Command Headquarters; Police Secondary School; and Tertiary Police Hospital during the State Visit.

“The IGP assured the President and Nigerians that the Nigeria Police are fully prepared for the upcoming 2023 general election and would remain apolitical in compliance with the presidential directive.

“He disclosed that newly passed out Constables are being posted on field operations to their Local Government Areas in line with Mr. President’s directives and ahead of their deployment for the general election.

“‘In furtherance to this, we have exposed our personnel to specialized election security management trainings, developed Code of Conduct Handbook to guide the Police and other national security agencies that will be involved in the exercise,’ he said.

“He added that the Force has also perfected the logistics and manpower mobilization framework, and fine-tuned the Election Security Operational Action Plan in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Military, Intelligence Community, and other Sister Security Agencies.

“The IGP thanked the President for the annual recruitment of ten thousand police Constables over a five-year period, adding that the Presidential consideration has significantly bridged the manpower gap in the Force and broadly strengthened their capacity to effectively police the electoral process.”

No fewer than 51 of the insurgents, comprising two of their commanders, Ba’a Usman (Munzir) and Alhaji Ari (Nakib), and 49 fighters surrendered to troops of the Operation Hadin Kai Thearter Command, in Damboa, 85 kilometres south of Maiduguri, on Sunday, November 20.

A military source, Zagazola Makama, investigation revealed that the insurgents sneaked out of the surrounding Sambisa forest, where they had been hiding and waging a campaign of terror.

Authoritative sources said that by mid-November, about 100,000 insurgents, comprising combatants and non-combatants and their families, had surrendered to Nigerian troops.

This was disclosed by the Nigerian Army Headquarters in a post on its social media pages on Wednesday night.

According to the post, the development followed the ongoing offensive against the terrorists in the North Eastern part of the country.

The troops also rescued about 12 farmers who were abducted by the terrorists.

The post reads, “The ongoing offensive onslaught against terrorism in the North East recorded another success today, 29 June, 2022, as 314 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters surrendered to troops in Bama LGA of Borno State.

“Additionally, 12 farmers were also rescued by the troops. Profiling of the surrendered terrorists is ongoing”.

At the plenary on Tuesday, a member from Borno State, Haruna Mshellia, had moved a motion of urgent public importance to decry the recent attacks by terrorists.

The motion was titled, ‘Need to Immediately Mobilise More Security Personnel to Communities Bordering the Sambisa Due to Incessant Attacks, Provide Relief Materials to Displaced People and as a Matter of Urgency Rescue Four Askira Emirate Council Members Abducted by Insurgents, Islamic State of West African Province, a Week Ago.’

In his contribution, another member from Borno State, Ahmad Jaha, stated that the Army cannot take credit for the mass surrendering of insurgents in recent times, attributing the development to the death of their leader, Ahmed Shekau, and the need for them to be free.

Speaking on the killing of Brig-Gen Dzarma Zirkusu and three other soldiers in an attack on Saturday, Jaha said, “These guys (terrorists) came with more than 10 gun trucks and two M-Raps that were voluntarily submitted to the insurgents. Why do I say voluntarily submitted? As rightly said by the Nigerian Army, 60 of these M-Raps were supplied to Nigeria and they took four from Lagos to Maiduguri, headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole. It took them two days to get to Maiduguri. About 200 kilometres to Maiduguri, they packed at a village called Damagun, headquarters of Fune Local Government Area for more than a day, facing Maiduguri. Even a lunatic can understand that these trucks, with these weapons, are heading to Maiduguri. So, anybody who has the intention to attack can definitely mount an ambush. Secondly, only two trucks escorted these M-Raps loaded on a low bed. From where they collected these M-Raps to Boko Haram camp, it will take you one and half hours driving on a tarred road. There was no effort either to recover them or destroy them. Now, the insurgents are using them against innocent citizens, particularly those ready to sacrifice themselves. There is a need for this House to investigate why and how these two M-Raps hit into the hands of ISWAP. I want to emphasise the need to change strategy. Whether we like it or not, you cannot sit in your comfort zone waiting for the insurgents to come and attack you so that you can repel them.  As long as the Nigerian Army resorts to a defensive strategy, this war is not going to finish. We have to use offensive strategy by taking the war to them so that we can destabilise them. They will not have the luxury of time and comfort of position to come and attack communities.”

Moving the motion, Mshelia said in the last two weeks, three communities of Klangar (Ngohi Ward), Gyerha (Kida Ward) and Askira, the headquarters of Askira Uba LGA, were at different times attacked by Boko Haram. “The last episode was on Saturday, the 13th of November, 2021,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, during such attacks, private and public properties are burnt down, stores with food items looted and all people living in these areas displaced into nearby bushes with all the risks and consequences that follow.

“Lives are lost especially of our gallant security personnel and unfortunate civilians caught up in the middle of the crossfire,” he said.

Mshelia said, “The House is informed that still within this zone, four members of Askira Emirates Council were abducted while trying to travel between Askira and Maiduguri, the state capital. As of the time of writing this, no news of their whereabouts one week after their abduction, and two of them have health challenges. The House is concerned that though our security personnel are doing their very best, their numbers and equipment available to them are grossly inadequate to protect all the communities on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest. The House is further concerned that the insurgents when they attacked Askira, came with 16 gun trucks and two M-RAPS, observers say, meaning kinetically that they have dominated the region. This is by no means a situation the country can handle with kid’s gloves. The House is worried that with the Yuletide season is upon us, their attacks will only increase as the bush paths they normally follow are now dry and now motorable by their standards. Some of the communities have already received notices from the insurgents of impending attacks.”

Adopting the motion, the House urged the military authorities to “station at least a battalion of personnel and appropriate equipment at Mandiragrau, Askira and Garkida communities; NEMA to immediately provide all the communities affected with relief materials to cushion the effects of the attacks on the citizens, and NEDC to provide foodstuff to all the communities affected as most of the just-harvested food crops have been looted.”

The House also urged the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to collaborate with other security outfits to “ensure immediate and unconditional release of the four unfortunate members of my constituency abducted one week ago.”

The government also alleged that between 2013 and 2020, Igboho received N127m from several financiers including a federal lawmaker. The government, however, refused to reveal the identity of the lawmaker.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said this while reading out findings of a Presidential committee set up to investigate Igboho and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The 24-member committee comprised members of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency.

Malami said, “The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a Director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited registered on April 23, 2010. Adesun International Concept Limited also has Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as directors. Sunday Igboho is linked to 43 bank accounts in nine banks.

Malami said “The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a federal lawmaker in the National Assembly. A total sum of N127, 145,000 was received by Igboho from his financiers between October 22, 2013, and September 28, 2020, through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts. A total sum of N273,198,200 transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between March 15, 2013, and March 11, 2021. Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of N12, 750,000 to AbbalBako& Sons. Abdullahi Usman is by way of financial transaction connected to Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism (Boko Haram). This report shows the nexus between separatists’ agitation, terrorism financing and disruptions of peace in the country,”

The report found connections of financial transactions between Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) and some construction companies and businesses among others.

Malami stated that having received the reports, the Federal Government remains solute in its determination to have a peaceful Nigeria.

“The Federal Government will do the needful, within the context of the legal provisions, in ensuring that the matter is given the deserved attention and those found guilty will be made to face the wrath of the law,” he said.

Leonard gave the assurance on Monday during a meeting with journalists in Abuja.

The ambassador explained that Nigeria and Afghanistan’s situations are not the same.

Several quarters in the country had warned the President Muhammadu Buhari against a repeat of what happened in Afghanistan, where the Taliban took over the country.

They expressed fear that the situation in Afghanistan may serve as a morale booster for Boko Haram in Nigeria to take over the country.

Leonard noted that Nigeria has had a strong bilateral relationship with the US, saying that the situations are not the same.

But in dismissing the fear that the US partnership with Nigeria might end up like that of Afghanistan, she added, “I hear people making the analogy with Afghanistan a lot, it does not match up.

“When you listen to what President Biden said on how troops went to Afghanistan in the first place, it was because they were in a horrible tragedy, over 3,000 Americans were killed.

“That is a different construct. The sovereign nations who have had strong bilateral relations. I don’t actually think the two match up.”