Helicopters deliver apology messages from Boko Haram

Residents of Adamawa Statehave received messages from repentant Boko Haram members via helicopter, reports say.

Pamphlets and flyers containing confessions and expressions of regret from the terrorists were dropped in some areas of the state at around 5am on Friday, February 20, ThisDay reports.

The repentant insurgents stated in the messages, which were written in English, Hausa and Arabic, that they had been brainwashed by some leaders of the sect leading them to loot communities and kill innocent Nigerians.

“People began to fear, so I immediately phoned the executive chairman of the council to intimate him, who also confirmed from security chiefs in Yola, saying it was military helicopters spreading peace message to residents," a resident of Gombi, identified as Kabiru, said.

“We were shocked and there was apprehension when we saw the helicopter hovering over us, dropping the pamphlets with Boko Haram inscription indicating their regrets,” a community leader, also from Gombi, said.

According to another witness, Bello Adamu, the pamphlets read thus:

“We started this jihad of Ahlis sunna lidda awati together as one. We sleep together, we eat and drink together. We studied the Holy Quran and prayed together in the early days of this Jihad. Those of us that are doing the work of God for the past 5yrs today. We have to realise today that we are being used for selfish and corrupt reasons. We have reached a situation whereby our leaders are enjoying and we are suffering in the name of jihad.’’

The messages were however signed with the names of towns, Gamboru, Damask and Alagamo, and not human names.

Boko Haram had earlier shared pamphlets among residents of Gombe State warning them not to vote in the upcoming general elections.

The leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau has also threatened to disrupt the elections.