Photos: Nigerian Army hands over widows and children of Boko Haram terrorists to Borno State Govt
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima on Friday, September,16th
explained basis for administration's continued care for families of Boko
Haram insurgents, noting that the aim is to break the Boko Haram cycle
of violence and secure the future of Borno State.
Shettima gave the explanation while receiving 355 breastfeeding children babies, 149 breastfeeding mothers and 62 under-aged evacuated by the the Nigerian Army from camps operated by Boko Haram insurgents in different parts of Borno State.
Majority of the the 566 persons are believed to
be families of the insurgents saved after the military took over the
camps during operations. It was the fourth time he received such
families and detained suspects freed by the military.
The
General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army in
Maiduguri, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu handed over the the 566
children and adults to Governor Kashim Shettima at a rehabilitation and
reintegration center newly opened by the Borno State Government in
Maiduguri to give medical care, education and cater for the welfare of
the families. The Government is working in partnership with the UNICEF,
NEMA, security agencies and other stakeholders in the rehabilitation and
reintegration program. Shettima said at the event:
"What is of
importance we should all know, is that an average male member of the
Boko Haram has one great wish and that wish is for his son or daughter
to inherit his doctrine of violence. The insurgents seriously take to
child bearing as a strategy of not only multiplying their numbers but
also producing children they hope, will continue from where their
fathers stop in violent killings as their own form of worship. The goal
of Boko Haram fathers is that even if they are killed by our armed
forces, they want to bequeath to us, a future of violence in Borno
State, a future of violence in the northeast and a violent future for
our country. Our ultimate aim in taking custody of families of
insurgents is to cut the cycle of violence so as to secure the future of
Borno State. Our aim is to give education to the children of the
insurgents so that these children will grow to despise the values and
doctrines their parents lived and preached. The children will not be
trained with any element of hate for their parents, they won't even be
told about the ways of their parents so that they don't grow with
deflated self esteem. These children will be raised like every other
child, they will be raised to love and not to hate like their parents
wished for them. They will be trained to safe lives and contribute to
building and growing communities not to take lives and destroy
communities like their parents would wish. This is why we are determined
to take care of these children. I am speaking in English knowing that
they don't hear what I am saying because we don't want them to have low
self esteem. We will train them to have big dreams and to pursue their
dreams of becoming productive citizens. Some of these children will be
future leaders, many will be doctors, Engineers, lawyers and some may
even grow to join the military if they choose to. They will Insha Allah,
contribute to nation building and part of the future of Borno State. We
must love and care for each other. We have witnessed so much hatred and
violence. Our hearts have been too consumed by agony. We must use the
remaining space in our hearts to love and to share love and
brotherhood".
The Governor also explained that majority of the
family members have been found to be innocent of the violence of the
Boko Haram insurgents contrary to the wish of some members of the public
who want the sins of insurgents meted on their families.
Comments
Post a Comment