Nigerian soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East have renewed calls on military authorities and all tiers of government to halt the integration of so-called repentant terrorists into security operations, citing growing concerns over insider leaks and deadly attacks. A military source told SaharaReporters that frontline troops have raised fresh alarms to their superiors, warning that the continued absorption of former insurgents has eroded trust within camps and compromised operational security. According to the source, soldiers have begun distancing themselves from the former fighters, including separating sleeping arrangements, due to fears of betrayal.
The source alleged that sensitive information about troop movements and operations has been leaked to Boko Haram, resulting in fatal ambushes. “We recently discovered that our operations are being sold out, and nobody would do that except these ‘repentant’ terrorists,” the soldier said, adding that recent attacks on troops were linked to leaked strategies. Last week, SaharaReporters reported that at least nine soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) near Gubio in Borno State. A senior military source confirmed that investigations showed the explosives were planted by Boko Haram as troops travelled from Maiduguri and stopped at a camp along the route.
Concerns over the integration policy are not new. In October 2025, soldiers across multiple bases in the North-East accused government-backed repentant insurgents of routinely leaking military positions, tactics, and weapons details to their former commanders. One soldier told SaharaReporters that the practice was a “deadly mistake,” alleging that the former fighters disclosed troop numbers, daily routines, armoury locations, and even food supply schedules, enabling successful attacks and looting. According to the soldiers, without such insider information, many Boko Haram operations would not have succeeded.