The Borno State Government is facing mounting scrutiny over its rehabilitation and reintegration programme for so-called “repentant Boko Haram members,” amid fresh concerns about transparency, rising expenditure, and the absence of a clear budgetary allocation in the 2026 fiscal document.
Reports indicate that the state has not provided a detailed breakdown of spending for the current fiscal year, even as previous records show that about ₦4.3 billion was spent in 2025 alone under the controversial “livelihood support for repentant Boko Haram members” budget line.
Traditionally captured as a dedicated expenditure item, the rehabilitation programme has over the years consumed significant public funds. However, the latest 2026 budget documents reportedly do not specify any distinct allocation for the initiative, a departure from previous fiscal years where the figures were clearly stated. The omission has raised concerns among observers about reduced transparency and weakened budget tracking mechanisms.
The lack of clarity comes at a time when public debate over the effectiveness, cost, and long-term impact of the deradicalisation and reintegration programme continues to intensify across the North-East.
Just days before the latest concerns emerged, authorities disclosed that 720 individuals described as repentant insurgents had been successfully reintegrated into society after completing various stages of deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration under the state-supported framework.
However, earlier budget performance analyses revealed that Borno State expended approximately ₦7.7 billion on the programme within a 21-month period, raising further questions about the scale of public investment in the initiative amid persistent insecurity.
Findings from the 2025 budget performance report show that ₦4.3 billion was spent on the programme within the year alone, with ₦1.6 billion disbursed in the final quarter between October and December, suggesting a sharp increase in spending within a short period.
This followed an earlier reported expenditure of about ₦3.45 billion between January and September 2024 under the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) framework, bringing total spending during the review period to approximately ₦7.7 billion.
Despite these investments, insecurity in parts of the state has persisted, with continued reports of violent attacks raising concerns about the effectiveness of the programme in addressing the root of the insurgency.
On the evening of Monday, March 16, 2026, multiple explosions rocked Maiduguri, leaving at least 23 people dead and 108 others injured. The coordinated blasts occurred at different locations within the city, sparking widespread panic and prompting emergency and security responses.
In another incident, Boko Haram insurgents reportedly attacked Government Day Secondary School in Kautikari Village, Chibok Local Government Area, on Saturday, killing one person and setting several classrooms ablaze.
These recurring attacks have further intensified public debate over the rehabilitation initiative, with critics arguing that the continued insecurity calls into question the effectiveness of the substantial funds allocated to the reintegration of former insurgents.
As concerns deepen, stakeholders are calling for a comprehensive audit of past expenditures and a full disclosure of current and future allocations to the programme, insisting that greater transparency is necessary to restore public confidence in the state’s security and rehabilitation strategy.