Former Boko Haram Fighters Take Quran Oath as Borno Government Welcomes Them Home.
On Friday, June 12, 2026, the Borno State Government officially welcomed back 720 men who once took up arms against the state. They were not alone. Alongside them came 992 spouses and 2,050 children. In total, 3,762 people are now being given another shot at ordinary life.
The event took place at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri. These individuals make up what the government calls Batch 9. They are considered low-risk cases, meaning officials believe they are genuinely ready to leave violence behind.
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This is not a situation where someone simply drops their weapon and walks home. According to the state government, each of these former fighters first surrendered voluntarily to the military. After that, they went through careful profiling to separate those who were truly repentant from those who might still be dangerous.
Then came the deradicalisation, disarmament, and rehabilitation program. It is a process that takes time. The goal is not just to take away their weapons but to help them unlearn the beliefs that led them into insurgency in the first place.
Before their release, the men were sworn in using the Holy Quran. They made a pledge to live peacefully and stay loyal to the society they once fought against.
The government understands that leaving the bush is one thing. Staying out is another. Without a way to feed themselves and their families, many former fighters end up going back to old habits.
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To prevent that, each of the 720 men received vocational skills training. They learned trades they can use to earn a living without picking up a rifle. On top of that, they were given ₦50,000 in cash and starter packs tailored to the specific trade each man was trained for.
Food supplies also came in. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) provided rice, maize, vegetable oil, and basic kitchen utensils. For families that have lived for years in hiding or in camps, these items go a long way.
This whole approach has been named the “Borno Model.” It is a strategy of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who has pushed for a non-kinetic strategy alongside military action. In plain language, that means trying to solve the problem with more than just bullets.
Critics of the model argue that it is too soft on people who caused so much pain. They ask questions about the families of victims. They wonder if justice is being sacrificed for peace.
Supporters, however, point to the numbers. Thousands of fighters have now passed through this program. Some have even helped security forces by providing information on remaining militant hideouts. The governor’s office believes that for every fighter who genuinely changes, the insurgency loses a little more strength.
Whether this model holds up over time will depend on what happens in the coming months and years. Will the former fighters stay true to their Quran oath? Will communities accept them back without hostility? Will the skills they learned actually help them find work?
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Former Boko Haram Fighters Take Quran Oath as Borno Government Welcomes Them Home.
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