Repentant Boko Haram members currently undergoing rehabilitation and reintegration at the Hajj camp along the Maiduguri-Damaturu expressway in Borno State staged a protest on Thursday over hunger and hardship at the facility.
Eyewitnesses stated that the ex-fighters blocked the road in front of the camp around 7:30 a.m. before authorities intervened, eventually returning them to the camp.
Abubakar Mujahid said “I passed there this morning, I saw people gathered outside the camp, but it was later I found that they were repentant Boko Haram who are lamenting hunger in the camp”.
Also, Hajara Aminu, said, “I was not privileged to see them but my brother told me how there was serious noise from the camp area. However, I saw convoys of police people and all that. We later heard that the Deputy Governor came and addressed them. It was the effort that subsided the situation.”
A camp official, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak on the matter, confirmed the incident.
The official added that the situation had been brought under control.
“The agitation for hunger in the camp started around yesterday. But nobody thought they would act as they did this morning
We thank God for the intervention of the DSS, the Information Commissioner and the Deputy Governor. Their needs have been addressed especially in terms of food and allowances” the official stated.
