By Milcah Tanimu

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, disclosed in Maiduguri that the Borno state government has cleared and released 500 suspects connected to the insurgency. This statement came in response to concerns raised by Hajja Gana, a leader representing aggrieved women in Borno, who alleged that innocent men and children were being detained at barracks.

Speaking at a public presentation organized by the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, which focused on charters of demand from survivors, victims, and deradicalized women in Borno, Gambo highlighted that the released individuals were handed over to the state government in batches. The most recent batch, consisting of 28 individuals, was released just last week.

Gambo reassured those whose relatives were apprehended by the military in relation to the insurgency, emphasizing that innocent individuals need not fear. She affirmed the state government’s commitment to collaborating with the military to ensure fairness and justice for all suspects.

Commending the foundation for its efforts in advocating for justice for the vulnerable and promoting peace and reconciliation, Gambo mentioned that the government would address the charter of demands submitted by survivors and victims of the insurgency. Many of these demands, she noted, are already being addressed through the “Borno Model,” a community-based approach involving all stakeholders, which has been implemented following the mass surrender of insurgents and their families.

Additionally, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, the Executive Director of the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, praised the Army for granting the foundation periodic access to visit detainees at Giwa barracks. She acknowledged the periodic release of individuals identified as innocent and urged the military to maintain this momentum to prevent innocent members of society from suffering unjustly for crimes they did not commit.