Fatima Musa, a former Boko Haram member who has undergone deradicalisation, has expressed deep regret over destroying her National Diploma Certificate (NCE).
Now resettled in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno, Musa shared her remorse during a community dialogue in Maiduguri focused on understanding, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
The event, organised by the Allamin Foundation with support from the British Government through UKaid, brought together repentant insurgents and community leaders.
Reflecting on her past, Musa revealed that she and many others were misled into joining the insurgency at a young age under the guise of religion.
“We were misled as young people through the use of religion and later discovered that we went the wrong way after we were deradicalized by the foundation.
“I regret tearing my NCE certificate up when I made the mistake of accepting the twisted ideology that Western education was Haram,” she said.
With a clearer understanding of Islam’s teachings, Musa’s priority is to seek forgiveness from her father, who is currently in a neighbouring country, for going against his wishes by joining the sect.
Another deradicalized woman, identified as Bintu, also spoke during the dialogue, pleading for forgiveness from the people of Mafa and urging support for the foundation’s efforts to reach others still in the bush.
Bintu emphasised that stigma and harassment often drive some repentants back to the insurgency. “If you keep telling people they are doomed, they’ll say since there’s no forgiveness, they had better go back and continue.
“Some of the surrendered have easy money, and others loot in the bush. They are struggling for survival with other citizens in their communities. Such repentants need to be encouraged to start a new life to sustain it,” Bintu stated.
Community members, including Babagana Butu, leader of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Mafa, highlighted the importance of integrating repentant insurgents into society.
Butu noted that some former insurgents now serve alongside task force members, participating in patrols and farming as part of their reintegration.
He urged the government to include these individuals in empowerment programmes to help them sustain their new lives and contribute positively to society.
The Executive Director of the Allamin Foundation, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, explained that the dialogue aimed to address challenges in the reintegration process and explore ways forward.
The event also featured a lecture by Sheikh Ali Mustapha, a consultant and peace mediator, on Islamic teachings related to peace, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence.
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