Insurgency: Survivors, Victims, Deradicalized Women Demand Govt  Support, Positive Media Reportage 

*Allamin Foundation holds public presentation of charters of demands, needs of survivors, victims and deradicalized women in Borno

By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri

The Borno State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo has assured  survivors, victims and deradicalized women of Boko Haram insurgency that Borno  State Government will support locally based humanitarian organizations in the state as collaborating partners in the peace rebuilding, transformation  and development plans and processes.

The commissioner added that  government in its processes is  managing  post insurgency rebuilding framework for peace and development  with giant strides and will continue to  consolidate on its efforts  to assist and support the vulnerable, including key demands of the Boko Haram insurgency survivors, victims and widows in the state  alongside rehabilitation, resettlement and livelihood support programmes for the IDPs and refugees from republics of Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Hajiya Zuwaira stated this on Wednesday, during a  public presentation of charters of demands from survivors, victims and deradicalized women in Borno state held at the conference hall of Armani Events World Center Maiduguri .

She  added that  Borno Model Concept of triple DDD and triple RRR  which innovated  and being  implemented by the Borno State Government  as alternative means of addressing the over a decade insurgency  by way of using  kinetic  approach instead of  non kinetic approach as implemented  by some African countries successively,  has positively made remarkable impact and recorded lots of  achievements hence  lots of successes were noticed  with  the  model in strengthening capacity, trust and confidence building  of victims and repentant  for peace, development and stability of  the state.

Hajiya Zuwaira also urged the victims, survivors and deradicalized women to be patient and exercise restraint, revealing that,  the state government within the shortest time possible will resolve and address all the issues and demands r of the survivors, victims and women respectively while commending the doggedness, foresight,  commitment , determination, focus  and  zeal of the State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum  to bring peace and security  to the state.

The commissioner further said that  the governor’s efforts and commitment  of rebuilding  the state infrastructures destroyed by the insurgency in  transforming  the state into a new home of peace  and  ensure  harmony all over the state remained resolute,  remarkable and appreciative.

 “Governor Zulum will not leave any stone unturned to ensure p ace, adequate security, safety of lubes and properties, maintenance of law and order, pick up of socio economic and political activities across the state amicably.

“The cooperation and support between the  military and  the state government  to end the war will soon come to.an end and realized. I would also like to  appeal to all the survivors, victims and women  exercise patient as government will look into all their demands with a view to address them. 

” I would like to also urge you to continue to pray for the state and government as well be patient , God’s willing, things will be good soon  and all these  challenges will be  addressed completely,”  Zuwaira said.

According  to her, over 80% of the Boko Haram insurgents in the bush  have so far  surrendered  while about 85% of those screened , deradicalized , rehabilited and reintegrated   in collaboration with the humanitarian partners while the state government has  continued to maintain the cordial working relationship.

She  noted that  the esteemed collaboration with the humanitarian partners  including locally based NGOs  like Allamin Foundation and other stakeholders in managing  IDPs, repentant Boko Haram insurgents and  their livelihoods through various  programmes and projects to alleviate their sufferings and encourage those still in the bush to come  out and surrender 

“Government maintains its relationship  between the military  and other para military agencies  including the vigilante groups  towards collective match to end the insurgency and manage the repentant insurgents properly and humbly.

“Government in collaboration with most of the NGOs and other humanitarian partners  in th state have carried out  deradicalization, rehabilitation, reintegration and Empowerment  programmes for the of the surrendered insurgents  successfully. 

“And all are self reliant and independently engaging in various skills across the country. We have thei contacts and we communicate with them as well monitor them. We  commend  the repentants  for their commitment, positive  transformation and cooperation,” Zuwaira said.

The Chairman of   Board  of  Trustees (BoT),  Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development,  Profession Mohammed Waziri said  the event was organized  as part of the foundation  mandate to cushion assist and support victims of the insurgency n specific ways with the support of other institutions to alleviate the  sufferings of the victims of the Boko Haram  insurgency.

He said Allamin Foundation is the only foundation that has been strongly supporting victims of the insurgency, assisting and empowering them as well as  giving them livelihood support and encouragement continuously while urging government and other stakeholders to support the foundation meets up with its mandate.

The Executive Director of Allamin Foundation, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin expressed her delight and appreciation to the personalities including media practitioners , victims, of the insurgency and security agencies for witnessing the historic event which is the first of its kind in the state and even country at large.

She added that the occasion will present  statements and publications complied and published  interviews, demands, needs and  prayers of the  some sectoral community research carried out  by the foundation on the demands and needs as well as prayers of the victims if the insurgency on some selected places   by the foundation to present to the  public.

She thanked all the guests and personalities for their contributions, efforts and support directly and indirectly while appealing to the state government and security agencies to continue to support to the victims of the crisis  and collaborate with the foundation for effective implementation of Transitional Justice to strengthen peace building and  reconciliation among the victims of the insurgency in the state 

Dr. Lawan Balami,  Humanitarian Consultant presented the aims and objectives of the project research works, purpose and scope of the research work carried out by the foundation and the methodologies applied to gathered information in the field on the aims and objectives of the research and purpose .

He said the outcome of the research work are documented or analyzed in three categories and based on the goals and reason for the research and characteristics as well as other factors  seemed necessary through focus group discussion, interviews of respondents and direct administration of questionnaires to the target groups.

According to him, based on the importance of the research work, the survivors , victims and women demands from the various communities and sampled LGAs of the state , number of demands and needs were identified and compiled  for public  presentation.

Dr. Balami added that even the implications, questions, goodwill’s and  comments from the public including government, community members, family members, traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, NGOs and the media aming others were analyzed and documented.

The  Director of Center for  Peace, Development and Diplomatic Studies, University of Maiduguri, Professor Abubakar Mua’zu who is the  Book  Reviewer of the Public Presentation Document said the 

initiative, and Policy on Community-Based  Reconciliation and Reintegration, called the Borno Model is a good start. 

He added that Allamin

Foundation has produced three charters of demand based on research evidence that should

be seriously considered and used hence there is no research without limitations. 

Professor Mua’zu noted that the one conducted by Allamin Foundation is no doubt , is a positive effort, saying,” Ordinarily, if the organisation had the resources the scope of the research will be broader than the four communities covered. In my opinion that Allamin

Foundation was able to do this research is a great achievement given the impatience of some government actors with research as an important factor in policy”.

” No government can succeed without talking to the people. The value of the research is that people matter they are reasonable; they understand the difficulties and challenges, they want peace and

security, they want guarantee for their rights as men and women, young and old-as human

beings; they are ready to live with all peaceful irrespective of their differences. 

“The challenge is for the various demands in the charters to be realised. The Borno State

Government should urgently accept to implement a transitional justice and reconciliation programme!,” Prof. Abubakar said.

Related