The Borno state government says repentant terrorists who pass through its rehabilitation and reintegration programme are required to swear an oath with the Quran as part of measures aimed at preventing them from returning to insurgency.
Zuwaira Gambo, the commissioner for women affairs and social development, spoke in an interview aired on News Central Television on Monday, while responding to concerns that former insurgents reintegrated into communities could return to terrorism.
She said the oath-taking process forms the final stage of the Borno model of deradicalisation and reintegration.
“When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by the Quran, you know the implication,” she said.
Gambo said many people remain sceptical about the programme, fearing that former fighters could rejoin terrorist groups after reintegration, but argued that such fears are overstated.
“People assume that they will go back to the bush; well, they may, but they are dead on arrival. So it is not even about whether they have been certified or we trust them or not. The law of the jungle takes care of that,” the commissioner said.
She, however, identified inadequate funding as one of the major obstacles affecting the programme, noting that authorities are often faced with the burden of providing food, clothing, education and other welfare needs for thousands undergoing rehabilitation.
Also speaking, Abdullahi Ishaq, the special adviser on security affairs to governor Babagana Zulum, said more than 300,000 people, including farmers, women and children, have surrendered during the insurgency.
He added that 8,950 individuals have so far been rehabilitated and reintegrated in eight batches through the state’s programme.
In February 2026, no fewer than 117 repentant terrorists completed the federal government’s de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme under operation safe corridor (OPSC) in Borno state.
The repentant terrorists underwent the DRR process at Mallam Sidi Camp.
