A community based NGO in Borno State, the Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development on Tuesday launched a new campaign to address the challenges facing the reintegration of returnees, particularly women and girls abducted or forced to marry Boko Haram members who are now facing stigmatization in the society.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the campaign training programme in Maiduguri, Mustapha Shettima, the State Coordinator, Allamin Foundation, said the foundation would train 60 persons drawn from faith-based organisations.
He said that the purpose of the training supported by International CIvil Society Action Network (ICAN) was to strengthen their skills on Deradicalisation, Reintegration and Transitional Justice for the successful implementation of the initiative.
Shettima said that the participants, mostly women, would be subjected to different kinds of training to prepare them to augment the efforts of the Borno Government and other stakeholders for maximum results.
“We have been teaching them the globally accepted transitional justice approach as well as reintegration into Nigerian society.
“Luckily enough the participants have an idea about the concepts of transitional justice but they don’t know the processes, the steps needed to implement transitional justice and what approach needed to carry out successful deradicalisation.
“We also want to hear their own perspectives, and from the look of things they are all comprehensive about the subject matter which will make the training much easier.
“As members of the faith-based organisation, they have a role to play in terms of advocacy during Sunday service in Church and Friday Sermon in the Mosque.
“They have a duty to call on followers in terms of supporting the government efforts with regard to issue of the Borno Model which the Government of Borno is very passionate about to see that Borno is return to its glory of Home of Peace by ensuring that those needed steps are taking to deradicalise these people and provide them with opportunities to interact with the larger community members and find a lasting peace in the society,” he said.
