Borno State Government has spent about ₦2.6 billion this year on the rehabilitation and support of so-called “repentant” Boko Haram members, even as soldiers warn that some of the beneficiaries are leaking military information to their former commanders.
A review of the state’s 2025 third-quarter budget performance report shows that the funds were used for “livelihood support for repentant Boko Haram members” between January and September. Out of this amount, ₦758.1 million was spent in just three months — from July to September.
The document also revealed that while billions were spent on the reintegration programme, health sector spending lagged far behind budget targets. The Primary Healthcare Development Board received only ₦2.076 billion out of its ₦8.7 billion allocation, while the Hospitals Management Board spent ₦1.2 billion against a ₦10.5 billion budget.
The spending comes at a time when soldiers on the frontlines in Borno and Yobe States are raising fresh concerns about the government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme.
Several troops told reporters that some of the so-called “repentant” fighters who have been reabsorbed into communities or engaged in government programmes have continued to share sensitive information with active Boko Haram and ISWAP cells.
One soldier said the leaks include details of troop movements, camp schedules, and the location of military armouries containing rifles, grenade launchers, explosives, and other weapons.
“These people know our bases and routines. They tell their former commanders when our guards change or when we relax security around 4:00 to 7:00 pm,” one soldier said. “It makes us extremely vulnerable.”
The military has not officially responded to these claims, but security experts have repeatedly warned that the reintegration programme needs tighter screening and monitoring to prevent infiltration.
Despite the billions spent on rehabilitation, attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters have continued in several parts of the Northeast. Villages near Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills remain flashpoints for renewed insurgent activity.
In April, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum admitted that Boko Haram fighters were regrouping in those areas. He disclosed that the state had received more than 300,000 repentant insurgents in the past three years under the “Safe Corridor” and other reintegration programmes.
Zulum said the state government remains committed to using both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches — combining military force with rehabilitation and community development — to end the long-running insurgency.
However, he also called for stronger military support, including more personnel, better air power, and the use of modern drones and anti-drone systems to tackle the evolving security threats in the region.
The controversy over spending on repentant insurgents adds to growing public debate about whether the deradicalisation policy is effective or sustainable. Critics argue that huge funds are being spent on former fighters, while many victims of the insurgency — including displaced families, widows, and orphans — continue to live in poverty and uncertainty.
