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Another set of 40 ‘repentant’ terrorists set to be integrated into Nigerian Army
Despite public outcry and condemnation, Nigerian authorities have concluded plans to integrate another set of terrorists, tagged ‘repentant’ into the nation’s military.
The latest group consist of at least 40 “repentant” Boko Haram insurgents who have been shortlisted for the Nigerian Army’s 91st Regular Recruits Intake (RRI 91).
According to SaharaReporters which quoted multiple sources, the shortlisted candidates were said to be part of the 3,740 repentant members of Boko Haram reintegrated into society by the Borno State government.
The Nigerian Army’s 2026 recruitment for the 91st Regular Recruits Intake (RRI) is actively underway.
The screening exercise, which commenced on June 9, 2026 is being conducted in accordance with established military standards. Both the application and screening processes for the main intakes took place in the first half of the year.
A military source told SaharaReporters that 40 ex-Boko Haram fighters sponsored by the Borno State government underwent medical examinations on Wednesday at the Nigerian Army 7 Division Military Hospital, Maimalari Cantonment, in Maiduguri as part of the screening process to join the Army.
“I can categorically confirm to you that the Borno State government brought forty repentant Boko Haram fighters who were shortlisted by the Army for their medical examinations during the week. Though some of them were rejected as not medically fit, most of them were screened to the next stage. It happened here at the 7 Division medical centre,” a serving Army Major told SaharaReporters.
“It seems the repentant Boko Haram fighters are so special to the Borno State government. We are still surprised how they were shortlisted, because to join the Army, you need to provide documents such as a birth certificate or age declaration, educational certificates, a certificate of state of origin, and a recommendation letter or attestation from government officials, but these guys have none of this.”
“You can’t recruit people who haven’t finished secondary school simply because you want to compensate them. We hope the Borno State government hasn’t provided them with fake certificates to force them in as soldiers.”
Another officer, a Lieutenant, wondered how they were shortlisted in the first instance by the Nigerian Army.
“Yes, they all came for medicals this week, and this raises concern about the shortlisting process. It simply means convicted criminals can join the Army easily. They were all brought in by a bus provided by the Borno Government.”
Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have killed thousands and displaced millions in northeastern Nigeria.
The terrorists also attack critical infrastructure, and the insurgency has spread to other parts of the country, including Adamawa, Yobe, Abuja, and Kano.
The Nigerian military has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency has been largely defeated and frequently downplays any losses.
In recent months, soldiers have been targeted by insurgents.
More than 1,000 soldiers and officers have reportedly been killed since January 2021.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported how some soldiers battling Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East accused the Borno State government of issuing a fresh directive compelling them to work alongside ‘repentant’ terrorists who were recently reintegrated into society under the state’s controversial deradicalisation programme.
The development, according to serving military personnel who spoke to SaharaReporters, triggered unease within frontline formations, with many soldiers expressing fears that the arrangement could expose military operations to renewed sabotage and intelligence leaks.
Sources told SaharaReporters that some of the former Boko Haram fighters who publicly pledged loyalty to the Nigerian state during recent reintegration exercises have now been mobilised and attached to local security groups that support military operations against insurgents across parts of Borno State.
The soldiers alleged that the move was part of efforts by the state government to justify its rehabilitation and reintegration programme, which has come under criticism from members of the public, including victims of insurgency and some security personnel.
According to the sources, military authorities and troops on the ground remain sceptical about the sincerity of several former insurgents despite undergoing rehabilitation programmes.
“The government wants to prove that the reintegration programme is working, so some of these ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members are being attached to security groups that work with troops in operations,” one soldier told SaharaReporters.
“But many of us are uncomfortable with the arrangement because there have been cases in the past where information leaked and operations were compromised. Trust is a major issue.”
Another source said soldiers have deliberately kept some of the former insurgents at separate locations within military facilities because of fears that they could still maintain links with active terrorist cells operating in the region.
“We don’t trust them completely. There have been too many incidents in the past. That is why they are often given separate accommodation. Yet now there is pressure for us to work closely with them during our missions,” the source said.
“You can see how these Boko Haram fighters have been killing our commanders. That should tell you there is a leak in information about their movements. Yet the government is asking us to trust these people and work with them. It won’t work,” the source said.
The soldiers argued that instead of compelling troops to collaborate with former Boko Haram fighters, the Nigerian government should focus on providing better equipment, intelligence support, and welfare packages for personnel risking their lives in the fight against terrorism.
According to them, the latest directive has generated anxiety among troops who fear that operational details could once again find their way to insurgent groups still active in parts of Borno and neighbouring states.
The concerns come barely two weeks after the Borno State government reintegrated 720 ‘repentant’ insurgents, alongside 992 spouses and 2,050 children, into various communities under its “Borno Model” deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme.
The beneficiaries were among former insurgents who surrendered to security forces and subsequently underwent rehabilitation at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri before being formally returned to society.
Three bandits have been arrested in Benue state after a lady who they had kidnapped and released, identified them at a motor park and raised alarm.
The k!kidnappers came to Ihotu park to board a vehicle to Makurdi and were met by the lady they had earlier kidnapped and released after collecting ransom from her relatives.
They were even using a bag they collected from the girl. The girl raised the alarm, held one inside the vehicle, and two took to their heels, but were caught.
They had a ghana-must-go bag at the back of the vehicle. N11m was found inside the bag.
Following the confirmation of their identity by another lady who was also their victim, mob gathered around with the intent to beat them up and possibly set them ablaze.
But the park manager decided to invite the police and soldiers who rescued them and took them to their station.
It was later gathered that the Benue state Governor, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia called and said he was interested in the case which made the police to take the apprehended bandits to Makurdi, the state capital.
President Bola Tinubu Federal Government has drawn down $1.5bn from a $5bn financing facility arranged with the United Arab Emirates’ largest lender, First Abu Dhabi Bank, despite growing concerns from global financial institutions over the increasing use of complex derivative financing by African sovereigns.
Bloomberg reported on Friday that the latest drawdown represents the first tranche of a $5bn Total Return Swap facility approved by the National Assembly on March 31, 2026, and is expected to support the 2026 budget, finance infrastructure projects, and refinance existing debt obligations.
The report quoted people familiar with the transaction, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The report read, “Nigeria has accessed the first tranche of a $5bn derivatives deal with the United Arab Emirates’ largest lender, pressing ahead with a transaction that has been scrutinised for being opaque.
“The West African nation drew about $1.5bn in the last couple of weeks from a total return swap transaction with First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, according to people familiar with the transaction, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media.”
The transaction comes at a time when Nigeria is facing higher borrowing costs in international capital markets, forcing the government to seek alternative financing arrangements to shore up its fiscal position and improve access to foreign exchange liquidity.
Under the arrangement, Nigeria is required to pledge Federal Government securities worth about 133 per cent of any amount drawn under the facility. This means that for the full $5bn facility, the government would have to post approximately $6.65bn worth of naira-denominated bonds as collateral.
In return, the Abu Dhabi-based lender provides dollar liquidity to the Nigerian government. The Federal Government will pay a floating interest rate benchmark plus about four percentage points, while the lender receives the returns generated by the underlying government securities.
The transaction effectively allows Nigeria to unlock immediate dollar funding without issuing new Eurobonds or taking on traditional external loans at prevailing market rates, which have become increasingly expensive for frontier economies.
The government has already indicated that the proceeds from the initial $1.5bn drawdown will be deployed to support budget implementation, fund critical infrastructure projects, and refinance costlier domestic and external debts.
However, the financing arrangement has attracted criticism from international financial institutions and market analysts over concerns about transparency and potential hidden liabilities.
In its June 2026 assessment of African sovereign debt markets, the International Monetary Fund warned that derivative financing structures such as total return swaps are often opaque and difficult for investors and creditors to monitor.
The IMF noted that such arrangements are “hard to track, hard to value in real time, and can obscure the true extent of a country’s financial obligations.”
Three days ago, Fitch Ratings warned that Nigeria’s planned $5bn financing arrangement with First Abu Dhabi Bank could increase sovereign debt risks and reduce transparency in public debt reporting.
At least 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa three days before the June 30 deadline issued by anti-immigration groups.
It was gathered that despite President Bola Tinubu’s approval of funds for their evacuation, bureaucratic delays have prevented the release of the money, leaving hundreds stranded amid escalating xenophobic tensions.
Although the president approved funding for four additional rescue flights after the first evacuation brought home 258 Nigerians, the money had yet to reach the designated carrier, Air Peace.
This delay, according to officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigeria High Commission in South Africa, is stalling the evacuation operation and leaving hundreds of Nigerians exposed to attacks.
The delay has heightened fears among the stranded Nigerians as xenophobic tensions continue to escalate across South Africa.
The President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu has said over 20 Nigerians had died since the renewed wave of anti-foreigner attacks, while many others had been assaulted, displaced or forced to abandon their businesses.
According to the officials, over 1,000 Nigerians registered with the federal government for evacuation. However, only 324 have been successfully brought home so far through a combination of government efforts and private intervention, leaving more than 700 Nigerians at risk of attacks and exposed to the elements.
The first batch of returnees (258) arrived in Lagos on June 11 aboard Air Peace, while the second batch (66) arrived on June 24 aboard ValueJet.
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