By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
Stakeholders have suggested for the return and adoption of old traditional system, pattern and protocol of administration of the society to be used in ongoing process, coordinating, managing and controlling the reintegration of deradicalized and rehabilitated repentant Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
The stakeholders also called on government and security agencies to restrict and monitor the unrestricted, rampant and reckless movements of the returnee repentant insurgents of moving in and out of the community anytime and anyhow into the Bush as some suspiciously return to the Bush and later return to the community while others still launch attacks on members of the community who go to farm or bush to fetch firewood.
This was submission of stakeholders at a one-day community dialogue held at the College of Nursing & Midwifery Maiduguri Conference Hall on Tuesday, from Old Maiduguri area of Maiduguri city for reconciliation, reintegration and sustainable peace which is targeted at strengthening capacities and will for implementation of transitional justice and reconciliation for Borno State.
The stakeholders further urged the government and security agents in charge of reintegration of the repentant insurgents, to liaise and collaborate with the community and religious leaders as well as ethnic groups, women and youth leaders as well as leaders of the repentant Boko Haram insurgents.
The participants urged people to forgive, embrace and show love to the repentant insurgents, stressing that they are part of the society but offended the people a s society
It is a must and necessary people to show affection, care and love to the returnee repentant, relate with and live peacefully with them.
They also suggested government to establish and consolidate on strategies and procedures of handling the reconciliation and reintegration of the repentant insurgents by the committee assembling them at the community leaders place for all members of the community to be aware and recognize those that have been pardoned and accepted to return back to the society.
The stakeholders observed also stigmatizatio as one of major problems and challenges hence stigmatization against the repentant insurgents by the people in the society .and on the side of the residents, they don’t trust and have confidence on their people and host community.
The other major issue on the both side of the community and repentant is the problem of trauma, especially, psychosocial trauma and unemployment among others, while the issue of empowerment and poverty alleviation support given to the repentant on their return to the community, makes them behave and conduct themselves with arrogance and pride against the people in the community.
Others called on government and non governmental organisations to also extend the same opportunities to the people in the community to balance the equation between the returnee repentant and residents of the community, who are so helpless and in poverty as well as enrolment of their children In schools.
The participants were further of the opinion that it is not easy and simple to forgive and forget those who killed families and relations of the community, pointing out that, some of the repentant are unreliable and untruthful to the laid down agreements they they signed before the government and security agencies.
Some solicited for tolerance, endurance,, trust, unity, forgive, and be patient to move forward in order to build peace, and establish development in the society on the side of the community members and leaders.
