Nigeria Police rule out recruitment of repentant Boko Haram militants

Deputy Inspector‑General Isyaku Mohammed of the Nigeria Police Force told stakeholders in Ilorin, Kwara State, that the force will not enlist individuals who have previously engaged in terrorism or criminal activity. Speaking at a meeting with police officers, traditional rulers, religious leaders and transport union representatives, he warned community heads not to sign recommendation letters for such persons, noting that any recruited individual would be returned to their community after training, leaving leaders responsible for any misconduct.

Mohammed cited his experience in the North‑East, where residents rejected the reintegration of deradicalised Boko Haram fighters, and stressed that the police cannot accommodate “repentant” criminals. He also announced a joint border patrol covering Kwara’s borders with Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Niger and the Benin Republic to curb cross‑border crime and prevent criminal infiltration into the police force. The police chief reaffirmed community policing as a core strategy for improving security across the country.