The Nigerian Army says that the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari was partnering with the Borno State government to care for about 80,000 repentant Boko Haram terrorists.

Chris Musa, Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, said the number of surrendered Boko Haram terrorists has hit “80,000,” while explaining that the military was working with the Borno government to care for the surrendered terrorists.

“The military, Operation Hadin kai working together with the state government. On the point of impact, when the terrorists come out they report to the closest unit and the commander takes him and his men and they are profiled and disarmed,” Mr Musa said in an interview with Channels TV on Saturday.

He added: “The state government provides transportation that takes them into Maiduguri where we have three camps. The fourth camp is being constructed. We are not directly involved in their administration and management. The state government takes care of them. We simply take care of perimeter security to ensure nobody comes in or goes out.”

Boko Haram terrorists have killed about 350,000 people in the North-East, since they took up arms against the Nigerian state in 2009, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report.

The regime of President Buhari first established the “Operation Safe Corridor” in 2016, with the mandate to deradicalise and rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram fighters; an idea greatly criticised by the Nigerian public. 

Recently, the terrorist group raided Kuje Prison, freeing its members into the nation’s capital and raising questions on why the government is rehabilitating terrorists while their members continue to fight the Nigerian state.