A native of Borno State, Enoch Yohanna, has made startling allegations regarding the treatment of former Boko Haram insurgents who undergo government-sponsored rehabilitation programs. According to him, these individuals are given a substantial cash payout of ₦3 million and are subsequently placed on a monthly salary.
Claims About the Rehabilitation Framework
Speaking at a public gathering, Yohanna expressed deep frustration over what he termed the mismanagement of taxpayer funds. He asserted that former insurgents are classified based on their level of involvement during the insurgency, such as the number of lives they took or the types of weapons they used. This classification determines the duration of their rehabilitation program—ranging from one month for those who killed no one to six months for those who committed numerous killings.
Allegations on Reintegration and Employment
Yohanna further alleged that after completing rehabilitation, some participants are integrated into community security structures as civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) members. Others, he claimed, are sent abroad—specifically to Algeria—to engage in illegal gold mining. In the event they sustain gunshot wounds, they are reportedly airlifted back to Maiduguri for medical treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, funded by the Borno State government.
He also stated that the Zamfara State government pays the Borno government ₦70,000 per civilian JTF member, while the individuals themselves receive ₦50,000 monthly. Yohanna described this arrangement as a “business” that is officially recognized by the authorities.
Outrage Over Taxpayer Money
In his emotional address, Yohanna condemned the use of public funds to support individuals he holds responsible for the deaths of his father and the abduction of family members. He claimed that one former insurgent, identified as Adamu, who allegedly killed 96 people in a single day, now drives a luxury vehicle and enjoys government protection. Yohanna warned that such policies could incentivize others to take up arms, expressing his own desperation in the face of what he perceives as injustice.
The allegations have sparked widespread debate about the effectiveness and fairness of the government’s deradicalization and reintegration initiatives in the northeast region of Nigeria.
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