Tobias Sylvester
Not less than 47 Boko Haram fighter has quit the terrorist group and surrendered to the Nigerian Army due to loss of faith in the vision of the Islamic sect.
The Spokesperson of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Colonel Timothy Antighai, in a statement on Friday, July 24, 2020, said 47 Boko Haram fighters surrendered to the Nigerian troops fighting terrorism in the Lake Chad and surrounding areas.
Antigha quoted one of those who surrendered as saying he was frustrated because of the ethnic discriminatory attitude which limited his upward mobility in the chain of command.
“If you do not speak a particular language, you cannot be appointed a commander or made a guard in the bush, and you cannot even be allowed to also go for tax collection.
“This discriminatory attitude has made some of us feel that we are not trusted and good enough to be given responsibilities.”
The terrorist, according to Antigha, also claimed that he was misled to kill innocent people for the group.
Boko Haram’s insurgency has led to the death of over 30,000 people, and displacement of over 2.5 million in the northeast and surrounding border countries.
The colonel quoted another former terrorist as claiming that he surrendered because he has lost confidence in the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, the main leader of Boko Haram.
“They told us that we were being lied to and cheated by apostate governments, but I have not seen any difference between Shekau and those he has been condemning. He may even be worse.
“I am having it a lot better here because since we came out of the bush, we have been fed and catered for,” Antigha quoted the terrorist as saying.
A female member of the terrorist group that also surrendered called Boko Haram fighters ‘ungodly’ and lamented the severe abuse of women in the camps.
Antigha called on other fighters to surrender, noting that the MNJTF has structures and programmes in place to receive all those that lay down their arms peacefully.
KanyiDaily recalls that three days ago, Boko Haram insurgents executed five aid workers who were abducted a month ago in Borno State.
