TheCable

Bappah Mura, an ex-member of the Boko Haram sect who used to be a farmer, has promised to expose the lies of the insurgent group.

He made the vow during a de-radicalisation exercise and graduation ceremony from a vocational training organised by the federal government for repentant insurgents in Gombe, on Wednesday.

“I beg Nigerians for forgiveness. I regret totally what we were forced to do; it was not my intentions but I beg for forgiveness,” Mura said.

“I was a humble farmer before I was deceived to join Boko Haram. All they told us were different from all we were made to do; they lied to me and deceived many of us.

“My heart bleeds,  especially after our rehabilitation and vocational training, that we were used to destroy lives and property by the sect.

“But today, I am so happy that we have been trained and made to acquire skills in different ventures. I am grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Army.

“I’ll return to Bama, my home town in Borno state, and use my knowledge of the sect to expose their lies, so as to dissuade youth from being deceived.

“Today, I am graduating as a trained shoe-maker;  I can make shoes of different brands;  I am now an ambassador of peace.”

Abana Ali, another ex-member, said he was sorry for everything, saying he was forced to join the group.

“I am deeply pained in the heart that we had been associated with such a devilish group; I beg Nigerians to forgive and accept us back,” the 62-year-old said.

“We were deceived and forced to join the sect; because of my age,  I was not allowed to partake in their operation, but was made to do menial jobs in their camps; we were also terrorised and enslaved,until the army rescued us.”

He thanked the government for the show of love and how the vocational training had been helpful in their de-radicalisation.

He warned young people that there’s nothing to gain in joining the sect but regret and sorrow as they were subjected to harsh condition while in their camps.

Mohammed Modu, another former member, said he was going back to the society to tell the people how good the government had been to them.

Modu said one of the problems of insurgency was that many youth do not trust government, as such it was easy to get them deceived, adding that with the love demonstrated by the government, no one can deceive him again.

In March 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari offered amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect who were ready to drop their arms and embrace peace.