Being Press Statement Presented by Prof Usman Tar, Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Borno State, at the NUJ House, Maiduguri on Saturday 13 April 2024 in memory of the 10th Anniversary Abduction of Chibok Girls and general security situation in Borno State

Members of the fourth Estate of the Realm, a very good afternoon to you all. On behalf of the Borno State Government, let me thank you profoundly for honouring our invitation for this Press Briefing.

This press briefing will cover the following issues: the abduction and rescue of Chibok girls; the management and resettlement of IDPs and matters arising; the Borno Restoration Project; and the Borno Peace, Reconciliation and Development Programme (Borno Model). With me are colleagues from the Representatives of the l key branches of the Government and strategic MDAs.

1. On the Abduction of Chibok Girls and Matters Arising

Ten years ago, the Boko Haram insurgents criminally abducted 276 innocent girls at their hotels at Government Girls Secondary School Chibok. This painful date is engrained in our collective memory and we shall not rest on our oars until the last of our innocent girls are back home with their families. On this auspicious occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the abduction of Chibok Girls, the Borno State Government identifies and sympathises with all those who are affected by abduction. The Government wishes to inform the public that we shall continue to struggle to salvage our abducted girls on behalf of the parents and relatives of the Chibok girls who are still in captivity. The Borno State Government is committed to rescuing and reuniting the remaining Chibok girls and reuniting them with their families. We understand the pain and anguish that the families of those still in captivity are going through, this is our sorrow!

We also wish to use this occasion to take stock of the rescued girls and provide an update on how the girls are coming to terms with adjusting to normal life after captivity, and efforts of the Borno State Government to sustain the momentum on the rescue of the remaining girls. So far, out of the 276 abducted Chibok Girls,187 have been rescued and reunited with their families. Most of the rescued girls have, over the years, been enrolled in different schools or graduated under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. A number of the girls have been enrolled into local and foreign scholarships or empowerment programmes. Many have since been reunited with their immediate families and are continuing to receive psychosocial support to reconcile them with normal life. Furthermore, 16 recently rescued girls are being rehabilitated by the Borno State Government and attending the 2nd Chance School where they learn skills in various vocations that will provide them with sustainable livelihoods, while their kids are also placed in nursery schools. Four rescued girls have voluntarily decided to return to their parents.

We remain hopeful and determined that, with the combined efforts of our security forces, intelligence agencies, and community support, all abducted persons will be safely returned.

The Borno State Government will not rest until every missing person is found and returned home safely. We call for unity and support from all citizens as we navigate these challenging times together.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the abducted Chibok girls and, indeed, all missing persons. We will continue to stand together during this difficult time.

2. On the Return of IDPs to their Ancestral Homes, Fire Outbreaks and Matters Arising

The Borno State Government is fully committed to the return of all IDPs - both those in formal and informal camps - back to their ancestral homes. So far, over 90% of active IDP Camps have been decommissioned and the displaced persons resettled, while the balance shall be resettled within 2024 In Sha Allah. The dismantling of each IDP Camp and resettling of the displaced persons is normally preceded by the restoration of security, clearance of farmlands initially within a 5 kilometer radius and restoration of vital infrastructure especially schools, water systems, electricity and mobility. This, village-by-village; town-by- town; and household-by-hold our people are being resettled with military precision and meticulous logistic engineering. We thank the agencies of the FGN, especially the armed forces and security agencies, for their unflinching support in this regard.

In addition to the domestic IDPs, we are also dealing with the issue of Nigerian refugees who are seeking asylum in Niger, Chad and Cameroun. The Borno State Government is deeply grateful to our neighbouring countries and our neighbourly kiths and kindreds for their magnanimity and hospitality in accommodating our citizens in their territories. The relocation of Nigerian refugees is in the radar of the Federal Government. Recently, the Executive Governor of Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum had sought an audience with the President CnC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, on the issue of relocation of Nigerian refugees to their ancestral homes within Nigeria. The President has pledged to support this process, and provide the federal might that is needed to ensure a seamless return of our people back home after a decade of stay as refugees. This process requires patience on the part of our people. The return of our teeming displaced citizens require careful logistic work and restoration of security and vital infrastructure as a precursor to the actual relocation and resettlement. We urge our people to exercise patience while the state and federal governments find sustainable solutions to our security and developmental challenges.

The Borno State Government is not oblivious of the extant challenges that may be associated with the relocation of the IDPs and refugees. While we relocate our IDPs and refugees, we also have a solum duty to maintain law, order and security in the remaining camps. We are dealing with the risk of attacks by unscrupulous elements and the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgency, and the rising cases of crime and criminality in our active IDP Camps. A case in point is the recent breach in security and issues surrounding the missing IDPs near Ngala town. Certain narratives suggest that these IDPs numbered between 200 and 300 were abducted.

It is important to clarify that while there have been cases of missing internally displaced people, the number, according to the available data, stood at 106 boys and girls, and so far 8 have since returned to their respective camps. On March 3, 2024, these youth left their camps to look for firewood in the bush far beyond the distance that security agencies permitted and considered secure. These IDPs may have come into contact with violent non-state actors in the bush.

The Borno State Government is working closely with the Federal security agencies to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens in the state. In particular, the government is working on the rescue of the missing IDPs and all others in captivity. The Government calls on all stakeholders, including the media, humanitarian partners, and the general public, to approach this issue with sensitivity and understanding. We must work together to address the root causes of displacement and provide support to those in need.

The Borno State government is also not ruling out criminals who take advantage of the security situation to commit atrocities. However, security forces are on the trail of these criminals. Meanwhile, investigating is ongoing on alleged cases of crimes, and we urge citizens to exercise patience while we deal with this all alleged crime. Our citizens should be rest assured that anyone or agency who is found culpable shall face the fill wrath of the law.

Despite the recent challenges in Ngala, the Government wishes to confirm that peace has gradually returned to Borno state, and the "Build Back Borno Better Project" is on course. We would also like to state that about a million IDPs have returned to either their local government headquarters or ancestral homes. The reconstruction and rehabilitation of destroyed communities and public infrastructure is ongoing, and the public's trust in our government and security agencies remains high.

The Borno State Government is working tirelessly to improve conditions in the IDP the camps, enhance security measures, and facilitate the voluntary return and reintegration of displaced persons into their communities.

While fully cooperating with security agencies to carry out the kinetic approach against the insurgents, the Borno State Government is also investing heavily in non-kinetic measures, particularly the mass clearance of farmlands for agriculture and the involvement of community leaders and traditional rulers in alternative dispute resolution.

3. On the Borno Restoration Project and General Security Situation in the State

The Boko Haram insurgency is its final days of extermination, degradation and decimation. Our gallant troops have worked tirelessly to weaken, degrade and downgrade the insurgency through a relentless counter-insurgency operations. The officers and men of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have given a good account of themselves. They have established a firm and effective presence in all territories that were hitherto disturbed by the insurgents. Today, our gallant troops have maintained a full presence in all the 27 LGAs of Borno State.

In the same vein, while supporting the kinetic operations, the Borno State Government has given considerable attention to non-kinetic operations which includes, the battle for hearts and minds, community-driven dispute resolution mechanism and massive investment in rural and urban infrastructure.

The policy foundation of Borno of the Borno State Restoration project is the 25 year Development Plan and 10 year Strategic Transformation Initiative; the Borno State Agricultural Transformation Agenda and the Borno State Infrastructure Transformation project, among others. The 2024 budget contains a bouquet of key development projects to be accomplished this fiscal year, building on previous budget cycles. Within the tenure of the Gov Zulum Administration, the Government's key development deliverables shall be delivered inshaa Allah.

4. On the Borno State Government Peace, Reconciliation, and Development Project (Borno Model)

The Borno Model is a programme for voluntary reception, processing, rehabilitation and reintegration of those who are affected by, or trapped in the embroglio of the Boko Haram Insurgency. The Borno Model was erected to provide a constructive solution to the vacuum created by the demise of the Boko Haram Kingpin, and terror leader Abubakar Shekau.

The Borno State Government established this platform to provide a sub-national space for a non-kinetic solution to the vestiges of Boko Haram Insurgency, without prejudice to the FGN DDRR infrastructure and the "Operation Safe Corridor" - a federal platform for the rehabilitation of ex-combatants. We know that terrorism is a federal crime and any initiative to counter terrorism and insurgency must conform with federal rules and norms of engagement.
There are kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to preventing and countering terrorism. For the past one decade, the FGN has deployed federal troops under different code names to fight terrorism with mixed results. It is worthy of note that putting boots on the ground exclusively had its limitations; the wholesome application of kinetic approach has so far not yielded the desired result. The efficacy of non-kinetic approach has become imperative. This includes the battle for the hearts and minds of the people, Psychological operation (Psyops), dialogue, reconciliation, mediation and peace-making.

The Borno Model is a child of necessity. It was borne following an opportunity created by the demise of one of the factional commanders of the BHT Abubakar Shekau and following a combat stand-off between the Al-Bamawi and Shekau factions. A vacuum was therefore created by the leadership and command crisis within the BH sect.
On 29 August 2021, the Borno State Government called a meeting of relevant stakeholders which led to the establishment of a special purpose vehicle for reconciliation known as the Borno Model to provide a corridor for willing repentant insurgents to return and surrender unconditionally to the Government of Borno State. The surrender process is a complex process involving initial surrender to military formations serving as the initial point of submission, transportation of the returnees to holding and processing facility at Hajj Camp Maiduguri where the returnees are received, profiled, processed and subjected to intensive programme of deradicalisation, civic education and entrepreneurship training.

The Borno Model is designed to be consistent and conformant with the federal code for law and order. There is an ongoing broad-based consultation between the Borno State Government and Federal defence/Securty establishments to harmonise the Borno Model with the FGN DDRR. As a sub-national entity, the Borno State Government is keenly interested in harmonsing the Borno Model with with Federal DDRR. The Borno State Government is deeply committed to ensuring that the Model meets the expectations of diverse partners and stakeholders. But as a local solution to a national problem, the BOSG reverses the right to take ownership and leadership of the Borno Model. Nevertheless, we look forward harmonising the Borno Model with DDRR will hopefully yield a hybrid model that will meet both national standards and our local reality.