Borno residents slam Nigeria’s failed militant reintegration program

Nigeria’s Borno state is at the epicentre of an insurgency driven by the militant Islamist groups Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State's West Africa Provincem or ISWAP. 

Ali - not his real name - was a commander in ISWAP for almost a decade. Two years ago, he left the group in an amnesty deal offered by the Nigerian government. 

But now he says he’s ready to take up arms again:

"The government promised us jobs. That was the agreement. I don’t have anything: no food, no job. When we go back, we are going to attack, fight a war so we can eat and feed our families."

Ali is from Maiduguri, Borno’s capital city in Nigeria’s northeast. After a few years of relative calm in the region, there has been a renewed spate of attacks. 

At least 12 people were killed and many injured outside of Maiduguri in June when a suspected female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a market. All indications point to either Boko Haram or ISWAP as being behind the attack. 

While no group claimed responsibility for the bombing, there’s been a wave of recent Islamist attacks in Nigeria’s northeast, particularly in Borno state, including attacks on military outposts and civilians. 

'I am scared'

Modu Ummate survived a roadside bomb a few months ago on the way to his farmland. He lost one of his legs in the explosion. 

"I am scared," Ummate says. "Eight people were killed that day. The military is not doing enough. Everyone was relaxed because it had been peaceful, but that was negligence, the military wasn't pursuing the militants. That's why they are strong again."

Nigeria’s military has been stretched thin, confronted with multiple flash points across the country. And while reintegration projects are important, Borno's State Commissioner admits that they're not perfect.   

"Reintegration is a work in progress. Not everything that former insurgents want will be given to them. We have the victims to deal with. If we over-resource the insurgents, the victims will say: what about us?" 

Experts have also warned that tackling terrorism won’t work without addressing poverty and unemployment. 

Ali claims not to believe in ISWAP’s ideology anymore but he’s still planning to rejoin the terrorist group. He says many who surrendered with him, are ready to follow suit.