Nigerian military authorities say around 800 Boko Haram insurgents have surrendered to the army in the past three weeks alone. An army spokesperson said the insurgents turned in their arms after the government announced the establishment of a rehabilitation camp, for what it calls repentant Boko Haram members.
The news of the surrender follows an announcement by the military last week of the establishment of what it calls Operation Safe Corridor, a program designed to rehabilitate and integrate Boko Haram insurgents, who are willing to lay down their arms, into society.
Through the program, repentant insurgents would be made to go through vocational training for a period of time and provided with some financial support to set out on their own. Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar said some of the insurgents have now decided to take advantage of the program to start a new life. Earlier today, the head of the Nigerian Air Force reiterated that claim saying the insurgents are divided and that most of them are tired of fighting.
The Nigerian military also says it has rescued 11-thousand, five hundred and ninety five captives in the last month, and has retaken all the territories once in the control of the sect. Despite occasional suicide attacks, the Nigerian government says an end to the insurgency is in sight.
