00:00These men were once Boko Haram fighters. Now they're being reintegrated into society through a government-backed rehabilitation program.
00:08Authorities in Nigeria's northeastern Bono state say nearly 10,000 former insurgents have gone through the initiative, which aims to
00:16encourage defections from armed groups.
00:21I urge those still in the bush to come home and reunite with their families. Many have been separated from
00:27their loved ones for years.
00:30When I returned home, I found my mother frail and alone, with no one to care for her.
00:40The program is part of Nigeria's strategy to weaken jihadist groups in the Lake Chad region,
00:45encouraging fighters to surrender and rebuild their lives. Authorities are now urging for others to follow suit.
00:52My message to them is our doors are open. They are lucky they have good people in Bono state.
00:58They are desperate what they've done. They've forgiven them and they've accepted them.
01:03Therefore, my appeal to them is for them to come back.
01:06Boko Haram's insurgency has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across the region.
01:12While military operations have weakened the group, armed factions continue to launch deadly attacks.
01:18Transcription by CastingWords
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