A review of Borno State’s budget performance documents by SaharaReporters has revealed that the state government spent over N6 billion within 18 months on the rehabilitation and reintegration of “repentant” Boko Haram members.
According to the documents, the funds were channelled into disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) programmes for former insurgents. Between January and September 2024, the government spent N3.45 billion out of a budgeted N3.46 billion, while an additional N7.4 billion has been earmarked for 2025.
A separate review of the third-quarter 2025 budget performance report showed that N2.6 billion was spent between January and September of this year alone on “livelihood support for Repentant Boko Haram Members.” Out of this, N758.1 million was disbursed between July and September 2025.
Despite the huge expenditure, the initiative has continued to attract criticism. Earlier reports by SaharaReporters quoted Nigerian soldiers serving in Borno and Yobe States, who alleged that some of the “repentant” insurgents have been leaking sensitive military information — including camp routines, weapons storage locations, and troop movements — to active Boko Haram fighters.
Frontline soldiers described the reintegration policy as a “deadly mistake that continues to cost lives,” warning that the so-called repentant members “routinely brief terrorist leaders about Nigerian Army movements and plans before major attacks.”
One soldier explained: “Before Boko Haram attack any military camp in the Northeast, they already know how we operate. These repentant fighters tell them everything. They expose how many men we deploy at the gate or entrance, the kind of weapons we carry, even the daily routine in the camp.”
He added that such leaks make soldiers vulnerable. “They tell Boko Haram that every evening between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm, all soldiers must return to camp for what we call ‘stand 2.’ They also tell them where our armoury is located — where we keep rifles, GMPGs, RPGs, PKTs, hand grenades, and bombs.”
The alleged sabotage, according to the soldier, extends to logistics and supplies, further undermining the military’s operations in the region.
Meanwhile, despite Borno’s multi-billion naira investment in livelihood support for “repentant” insurgents, Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks have persisted. In April, Governor Babagana Zulum warned that terrorists were regrouping around the Tumbus area of Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills within the Sambisa Forest.
While commending the military’s efforts, Zulum called for a balanced approach to tackling terrorism, combining both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies.
“Borno State has, within the last three years, received more than 300,000 repentant Boko Haram fighters, and not all of them are fighters. Some of them are farmers,” he said.
He acknowledged the military’s limited manpower and urged the Nigerian Army to deploy more trained personnel to the Northeast. “Manpower is very essential,” he stated. “While I’m aware of the constraints of the Nigerian Army… considering the northeastern region, the Nigerian Army should look into the possibility of sending more trained manpower. There is a difference between Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits.”
The governor further cautioned that ISWAP and Boko Haram benefit from international support networks and take advantage of Nigeria’s porous borders.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram are terrorists getting support internationally, and looking at our porous borders, they remain infiltrated through the Sahel, which is our major problem. If the Sahel is not secured, Nigeria will never be secured,” Zulum warned.
He also called for enhanced air power and modern technology to combat terrorism. “We need air support. Attack helicopters are very important in these areas, and drones are also very important,” he said.
Referring to a recent attack in Wulgo, the governor noted that “ISWAP and Boko Haram… carried out the assault with the support of armed drones.”
“This is the time for the Nigerian military to rise again and procure sophisticated drones and anti-drone equipment so that we get rid of these problems,” Zulum concluded.
