A community based NGO, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, has commenced training for Islamic clerics/psychologists involved in deradicalisation of repentant insurgents to enhance their skills.
The training supported by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is for clerics in Maiduguri Metropolitan, Jere, Konduga and Mafa Local Government Areas.
Speaking at the flag-off of the training on Sunday in Maiduguri, the Executive Director of the foundation, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, said the clerics/psychologists after the training were expected to do more as champions of peace.
Allamin said that the training would focus on the use of Holy Quran, Hadith and Islamic history to present superior arguments to the insurgents on how they misinterpret the Quran and teachings of Islam which never supported violence and shedding of blood.
Allamin noted that the foundation had so far deradicalised 120 Boko Haram women that continue to play vital role in convincing others to also repent from the ideology.
“Borno Government under Governor Zulum has done it best by facilitating mass surrender, the military also demobilized them with the society accepting them.
“Its now a task for Islamic scholars to engage them one on one in addressing their misconceptions of Islam and to provide solutions to other challenges arising after many years of the insurgency,” Allamin said.
The facilitator of the training, Shiekh Ali Mustapha, who spoke on Islam as a religion of peace, showed how Islam kicked against forceful conversation of anyone, pointing out that the concept of jihad has to do with self defence.
He cited Islamic history that showed how the Holy Prophet was able to attract people to Islam based on his kindness and tolerance, adding that no war took place when the people of the historic Borno Empire embraced Islam.
Some of the male and female clerics undergoing the training, who spoke like Babagana Shettima and Falmata Abdulkadir, describe the training as a timely event that would enhance their engagement.
