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Repentant Boko Haram terrorists have called on the government to provide them with a means of livelihood as they resettle back into communities having undergone series of rehabilitation.
Speaking exclusively to Channels Television at the Bulumkutu Rehabilitation Centre, Maiduguri where the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, distributed food items to them and some rescued Chibok girls, the former insurgents expressed concerns on their current status, adding that some of them are thinking of returning to the bush.
“I am still living in the camp although I have been freed by the authorities but I have nowhere to go, many of us are idle to the point that some are contemplating returning to the bush.
“I was a welder and gun repairer while in Sambisa, when I was surrendering I brought five guns with me as my contribution to the Nigerian government,” said one of the repentant Boko Haram fighters, Ali Kaka.
Another repentant Boko Haram fighter, Suleiman Abubakar, said, “I am one of those that surrendered their guns and I did it because I got tired of killing and stealing and needed to start a new life.
“We took up arms because of lack of jobs or tangible source of livelihood as such I will plead with the government to provide us source of livelihood so that some of us that have genuinely surrendered will not be tempted again.”
While responding to their plea, the Minister said the Federal Government is working tirelessly to alleviate poverty amongst poor masses in the society starting with the provision of grants and soft loans which will soon commence.
Both the repentant insurgents and rescued Chibok girls and others assembled in their numbers to receive the minister.
The Bulumkutu Rehabilitation Centre is where rescued persons including Chibok school girls and repentant insurgents are kept for monitoring and evaluation before being re-integrated into the society
