Nigerian soldiers reject ‘repentant’ Boko Haram fighters in their ranks

Nigerian soldiers on the frontlines in Borno State are raising red flags over a government-backed arrangement that embeds “repentant” former Boko Haram fighters into local security units supporting active military operations.

Nigeria’s northeast is on edge — and this time, the tension isn’t just coming from the bush.

Serving military personnel are pushing back hard against a quiet but controversial move: former Boko Haram fighters, fresh from government reintegration ceremonies, are now being plugged into local security outfits working alongside troops in active operations across Borno State. According to SaharaReporters, soldiers say nobody asked them how they felt about it — and they’re not happy.

The arrangement, sources say, is being driven by the Borno State government’s desire to validate its much-criticised rehabilitation programme. Critics — including insurgency survivors and security personnel — have long questioned whether the programme is genuine or merely cosmetic. Embedding “repentant” fighters in security operations, soldiers argue, appears designed to manufacture a success story.

But at what cost?

“The government wants to prove that the reintegration programme is working, so some of these ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members are being attached to security groups that work with troops in operations,” one soldier told SaharaReporters. “But many of us are uncomfortable with the arrangement because there have been cases in the past where information leaked and operations were compromised. Trust is a major issue.”

The distrust runs so deep that commanders have reportedly housed former insurgents in separate quarters within military facilities — a workaround that soldiers say is now being undermined by pressure to collaborate in the field.

“You can see how these Boko Haram fighters have been killing our ogas (commanders). That should tell you there is a leak in information about their movements. Yet the government is asking us to trust these people and work with them. It won’t work,” another source said bluntly.

Troops say what they actually need isn’t forced partnerships with former enemies — it’s better equipment, sharper intelligence, and improved welfare. Until then, the trust gap remains wide open.