The Borno State Government has finally broken its silence on the recent escape of some repentant insurgents who had earlier surrendered themselves.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, the government acknowledged the escape and debunked reports that the insurgents absconded with government arms.
According to Prof. Tar, preliminary investigations have revealed that the escapees did not take any government arms with them. He warned against spreading false information that could demoralize troops and citizens, and potentially embolden terrorists.
“The Borno State Government is committed to collaborating with relevant agencies to track and arrest the escapees,” Prof. Tar assured. He explained that the escaped insurgents were part of a cohort of over 20,000 militants who were recently documented, processed, profiled, and categorized as “low risk” in terms of their mental state, vulnerability to violent extremism, propensity for psychotropic substance abuse, and probability of relapse to violence.
Prof. Tar cautioned against amplifying the situation, which could undermine the ongoing counter-insurgency operations. “Terrorists and other violent non-state actors have historically acquired weapons from various subterranean sources,” he explained. “Seeing weapons in propaganda videos does not imply they belong to the government.”
While a recent report put the number of escapees at 13, the Borno State Government confirmed that only six repentant insurgents escaped.
“We urge citizens and stakeholders to continue to support the government’s efforts in that regard. We are committed to restoring peace and security across the state”, he added.
