Nigerian soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East have reportedly expressed strong opposition to an alleged plan requiring them to work alongside recently reintegrated former terrorists during military operations.
According to a report by SaharaReporters, serving military personnel claimed the arrangement, reportedly backed by the Borno State Government, has generated anxiety among troops who fear it could expose ongoing operations to sabotage and intelligence leaks.
The sources alleged that some former Boko Haram members who completed the state’s deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme have been attached to local security groups supporting military operations across parts of Borno State.
Several soldiers reportedly questioned the wisdom of deploying former insurgents alongside troops, arguing that trust remains a major concern despite their participation in rehabilitation programmes.
One military source claimed previous incidents of operational information leaks have made many personnel reluctant to collaborate closely with former fighters.
Another source alleged that some rehabilitated insurgents are still accommodated separately within military facilities because of concerns they could maintain links with active terrorist cells.
The soldiers further argued that the government should prioritise improving troop welfare, providing better equipment and strengthening intelligence capabilities rather than integrating former insurgents into frontline security operations.
The concerns come shortly after the Borno State Government reintegrated 720 former insurgents, alongside 992 spouses and 2,050 children, into various communities under its “Borno Model” deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme.
Speaking during the reintegration exercise, the Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum on Security, retired Brigadier General Abdullahi Ishaq, described the programme as a key component of the state’s non-kinetic approach to ending insurgency.
According to the state government, the programme, which began in 2021, has facilitated the surrender of more than 350,000 individuals from insurgent camps, with 9,680 people formally reintegrated after undergoing vocational training, counselling, behavioural reorientation and skills acquisition.
However, the initiative has continued to generate debate, with critics questioning whether former insurgents can be fully trusted and whether sufficient safeguards exist to prevent a return to violent extremism.
As of the time of the report, the Nigerian Army had not officially responded to the allegations. SaharaReporters said attempts to obtain comments from the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, were unsuccessful before publication.