In the heart of Borno State, Fatima Musa, a former Boko Haram member, now stands as a symbol of regret and redemption. Having undergone a rigorous deradicalization process, Fatima recently shared her heartfelt remorse for a pivotal mistake she made during her time with the insurgents—shredding her National Certificate of Education (NCE) into pieces.
This moment of reflection occurred during a community dialogue in Maiduguri, organized by the Allamin Foundation, a community-based NGO, with support from the British Government under UKaid. The event, aimed at fostering understanding, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, brought together repentant insurgents and community leaders from Mafa Local Government Area.
Fatima’s story is one of lost youth and misguided beliefs. She and many others were drawn into the insurgency at a young age, misled by distorted religious ideologies that branded western education as Haram (forbidden). Fatima now realizes the gravity of her actions, especially destroying her educational certificate—a symbol of her past life and the opportunities she once had.
"We were misled as young people through the use of religion and later discovered that we went the wrong way after being deradicalized by the foundation," Fatima shared. "I regret tearing my NCE certificate up when I made the mistake of accepting the twisted ideology that western education was Haram."
Today, Fatima is not only repentant but also eager to make amends. One of her deepest desires is to reconnect with her father, who currently resides in a neighboring country, and seek his forgiveness for the pain she caused by joining Boko Haram against his wishes.
Fatima’s journey is not an isolated case. Bintu, another deradicalized female insurgent who spoke at the dialogue, echoed similar sentiments. She pleaded for forgiveness from the people of Mafa and called for continued support to the foundation in reaching out to others still trapped in the insurgency. Bintu highlighted the challenges some repentant members face, such as stigma and harassment, which sometimes push them back into the arms of the insurgents.
"If you keep telling people they are doomed, they’ll say since there’s no forgiveness, they had better go back and continue," Bintu warned, underscoring the importance of community support and acceptance in the reintegration process.
The dialogue also featured input from local leaders, including Babagana Butu, the leader of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Mafa. He noted that the integration of repentant insurgents into community life is ongoing, with some now patrolling alongside task force members and engaging in farming activities as part of their reintegration.
The event concluded with a lecture on Islamic rulings related to peace, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence, delivered by Shiekh Ali Mustapha, a consultant and peace mediator. The discussion underscored the critical role of community support in ensuring that former insurgents can sustain their new lives and contribute positively to society.
Fatima Musa’s story is a powerful reminder of the potential for change and the importance of forgiveness in rebuilding lives and communities torn apart by conflict.