A budget performance review for the third quarter of 2025 has revealed that the Borno State Government spent a staggering N2.6 billion on the welfare of “repentant” Boko Haram members between January and September this year.
According to the document obtained by SaharaReporters, the funds were disbursed under the item “livelihood support for repentant Boko Haram members.” Of the total sum, N758.1 million was reportedly spent between July and September alone.
In contrast, the state government allocated far less to critical health services within the same period. Only N2.076 billion was spent on capital projects by the Primary Healthcare Development Board, despite a budget of N8.7 billion. Similarly, the Hospitals Management Board received just N1.2 billion for capital expenditure out of a N10.5 billion allocation for 2025.
This revelation has stirred public concern, especially as insecurity continues to ravage parts of Borno despite the state’s heavy investment in rehabilitation programmes for former insurgents.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Nigerian soldiers stationed in Yobe and Borno accused government-backed “repentant” Boko Haram members of sabotaging military operations by leaking sensitive information to their former terrorist commanders.
Some soldiers described the reintegration policy as a “deadly mistake” that has led to unnecessary loss of lives. One soldier alleged that the ex-fighters routinely disclose military strategies, troop movements, and even the location of armouries to active Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters.
“Before any major attack, they already know how we operate,” one frontline soldier revealed. “They inform the terrorists about our manpower, weapons, and daily routines in the camp. They even expose where our rifles, RPGs, and grenades are kept.”
The soldiers also accused the repentant members of sabotaging logistics and supply operations, leaving many troops vulnerable during attacks.
Despite these allegations, the Borno State Government has defended its “non-kinetic” approach to ending the insurgency. Governor Babagana Zulum recently disclosed that over 300,000 individuals have surrendered in the past three years, adding that not all of them were fighters.
Zulum, however, admitted that Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to regroup in areas around Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills, warning that the fight against terrorism remains far from over.
He stressed the need for both kinetic (military) and non-kinetic (rehabilitative) measures to address insecurity while calling on the Nigerian Army to deploy more trained personnel to the Northeast.
“ISWAP and Boko Haram are getting international support,” the governor said. “If the Sahel is not secured, Nigeria will never be secured. We need to strengthen border security, procure attack helicopters, and acquire anti-drone technology to counter their growing sophistication.”
While Borno continues to invest billions in the reintegration of former insurgents, many residents and security analysts question the sustainability and effectiveness of the policy in the face of persistent attacks and intelligence leaks.
