Borno government reveals pro-Boko Haram plans, dismisses fear over new insurgents

The Borno State Government has disclosed that it had already mapped out a blue-print for full engagement of an estimated 20,000 members of a local vigilance group popularly known as the Civilian JTF.

The state Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Kakashehu Lawan revealed this to newsmen in Maiduguri on Monday.

The assurance came following the fears expressed by residents of the state that the unemployed members of the vigilance group may become another security threat after the Boko Haram insurgency had ended.

The commissioner said, “His Excellency, Governor Kashim Shettima has developed a blue-print for the post Boko Haram insurgency era in the state.

“One of the agenda on the blue-print is youth integration, which encapsulates all youths in the state including members of the civilian JTF,” he said.

Lawan further revealed that the blue-print made provision for the creation of a youth empowerment agency to cater for the members of the civilian JTF.

“Already, a law has been passed by the Borno House of Assembly known as Youth Vigilante Empowerment Agency Law 2015, to cater for job creation particularly targeting members of the group.

“The agency is expected to engage members of the group by providing different kinds of jobs for them,” he said.

He added that the state government had also contacted the Nigerian Army authorities to absorb those qualified into the service, while some of them will be recruited as fire fighters in the State.

He said, “What we have done as a government is to liaise with the Nigerian Army high command to have a large chunk of them recruited into the army.”

“We are also working on plans to recruit between 500 and 1, 000 of them as fire fighters in the state department of fire service.

“We also have plans to engage about 500 of them as Vehicle Inspection Officers.”

He added that those who have higher educational qualification would be absorbed into the state civil service.

“Those who are graduates and National Certificate in Education holders will be absorbed into the State Civil Service,” he said.