NEWS DIGEST- Protests have erupted on the streets of Maiduguri, Borno State, as repentant Boko Haram terrorists have stormed the city in anger over the government’s failure to pay their monthly stipends of N30,000 each.
WikkiTimes reported that the demonstrators had blocked the Bulumkutu-Maiduguri Highway, demanding that the government deliver on its promise of a legitimate source of income. In February 2022, the government promised the former terrorists a means of providing not just income but also a place where they could settle down with their families and start their own businesses.
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is serving as the Chairman of the Presidential Committee, made the promise while recognizing the critical role the repentant terrorists played in ending Boko Haram’s menace.
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The rehabilitation program, tagged Operation Safe Corridor, was designed to provide physical, mental, and psychosocial rehabilitation to the resettled terrorists, with many of them hosted at the Hajj Camp. The program has been on for about 2 years, and it has led to the massive laying down of arms by Boko Haram jihadists who have terrorized the northeastern part of Nigeria for over a decade.
The failure to pay the stipends by the government has forced the repentant terrorists to take to the streets, raising tensions in the area.
Security expert Zagazola Makama has confirmed the event on Twitter, where he posted a video of the protest and stated the situation on the ground. Residents have raised concerns about the potential impact of the protest on their safety and security. It remains to be seen how the government will respond to the protesters’ demands and concerns.
