Authorities in Borno State, in northeastern Nigeria, say that nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have now been reintegrated into society under a government-backed reintegration and deradicalization program aimed at encouraging defections from insurgent groups.
This announcement was made as 720 veterans graduated from a rehabilitation center in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, at a ceremony attended by representatives of state authorities.
According to Borno authorities, this latest group brings to 9,680 the total number of former insurgents reintegrated into their communities.
This program is part of a broader initiative by the Nigerian authorities to weaken jihadist groups operating in the Lake Chad region by encouraging fighters to surrender and return to civilian life.
Images of the ceremony showed hundreds of veterans gathered at the reintegration center, where participants took an oath before being officially released from the program.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which began more than a decade ago in northeastern Nigeria, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across Nigeria and neighboring countries. Although the group's capabilities have been significantly reduced by military operations, armed factions continue to carry out attacks in parts of the region.
Authorities in Borno State say rehabilitation and reintegration programs remain a vital part of efforts to end the conflict and promote long-term stability in insurgency-affected communities.
