Detained Boko Haram Suspects Plead For Second Chance, Say They Were Brainwashed

Over 50 detained members of the Boko Haram sect have appealed to Federal Government to give them a second chance as they were ‘brain washed’ into picking up arms against the Nigerian state and its citizens. The sect members made the appeal when the presidential committee on dialogue and peaceful resolution of security challenges in the North visited one of the detention centres in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on Tuesday. According to one of the detainees Adam Konto, who introduced himself to the chairman of the committee, Kabir Turaki as the Amir (Commander) of the Bayan quarters, one of Boko Haram’s strongholds in Maiduguri, the detained members if released, will be law abiding and assist the FG in bringing the deadly insurgence to an end. Konto, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of his comrades-at-arms said: “We pledge to assist the authorities if given a second chance as most of us were brainwashed and recruited into the sect and given instructions to carry out dastardly acts without our full understanding of what we were doing.” Another detainee, who gave his name as Babagana Saje, said that he was ready to denounce the sect and commended the Police for taking good care of them. He said: “The police have been treating us fine. We have been allowed to take our bath and have been well fed.” In his response, after listening to the sect members’ submissions, Turaki, who is also Minister of Special Duties, promised to look into their cases. He said: “If you are sincere with this information we have gathered, we will bring you into the proposed amnesty agenda.”