Many Nigerians have taken to social media to react to the recent release of 1,400 repentant Boko Haram fighters.
Earlier today, the Borno State Commissioner for Information, Babakura Jato, told The PUNCH during an interview on Monday that 1, 400 had been released in three tranches since the ‘Operation Safe Corridor’ programme began.
The commissioner said,
“There have been a series of releases. They were released in three tranches. The first set was released during Governor Shettima’s time while two sets have been released under Prof. Zulum.
“The total number of persons released is 1,400. Out of the 1,400, the majority of them are cleared suspects. These were people who were suspected of being members of Boko Haram and it was discovered that they were not.
“The rest are children of Boko Haram or actual Boko Haram members. I cannot give you a breakdown of the figure now for security reasons.”
The report doesn’t seem to have gone down well with many Nigerians as they took to social media to air their concerns. See reactions gathered by LailasNews;
@SekoniTweets: Questions:
What mental breakdown will this news bring to soldiers who fought & lost colleagues, capturing these terrorists?
Who on earth wouldn’t agree to repentance, knowing you’re about to gain freedom?
Why ain’t we applying this measure for murderers, robber & kidnappers?
@theonce001: He stated that if any person was rejected by his community for being a former Boko Haram member, the government would resettle that person.
Repentant Boko Haram may just be your next door neighbour! Start knowing your neighbour to avoid stories that touch! 👌😢😒
@__irigo: Wow. Good news.
This is the kind of fight against insurgency that buhari and his administration promised in 2015. This news has improved the security situation in Africa as a whole.
Nonsense.☹️
@HenryObi042: Who knows where there send them as their sent 400 to Abia state yesterday with 35 bus’s today this 1,800 Boko Haram terrorists members will be divide to other BIAFRA states Enugu, Anambara, Eboyi, Imo, River, Bayasa, C/River am sure no1 can stop them from entering those states
@i_am_asiwaju: what of the innocent souls they have taken??… if tho they can’t be condemned to death, why not leave them to rot in jail??..
@balogunfd: Repentant BokoHaram?
An elite, close to mainstream guys told me,” if NigerDelta can get armesty, scholarships & Jobs, what stops BokoHaram”
I asked him, whose right is BokoHaram fighting for. He said it doesn’t matter.
It’s painful that’s the mentality of those leading us.