Through the federal government’s de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration (DRR) program, 559 former Boko Haram fighters have been rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
This isn’t the first time this has happened; according to Anaedoonline.ng, over 1,000 ex-Boko Haram fighters have completed the program.
The rehabilitation is part of Existence Safe Corridor, which has been in operation since 2015 and allows repentant terrorists to be pardoned, trained, rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society.
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On Sunday, Gombe State hosted a graduation ceremony for the newest group of repentant militants.
Members of the graduating class arrived to the DRR camp between July 15 and September 6, 2021, according to Joseph Maina, the coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, who spoke at the graduation ceremony.
They went through medical screening, psychiatric and psychospiritual counseling, sports therapy, substance misuse counseling, western education, and vocational training throughout their stay at the camp.
“Since September 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has led Operation Safe Corridor to encourage willing and repentant Boko Haram militants to surrender and participate in well-structured rehabilitation, deradicalization, and reintegration programs,” Maina stated.
“The committee established by the chief of defence staff to operationalize the commander in chief’s mission launched this initiative in 2016.”
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“As a result, employees were gathered from 17 services, ministries, departments, and organizations to carry out the operation’s idea.” Since the DRR camp opened its doors, a total of 1070 ex-combatants have successfully completed the program and been reintegrated into society.
“Another class of 559 will graduate from the program this morning, and they, too, will be reintegrated back into their communities.”
General Lucky Irabor, who was represented at the occasion by Major-General Adeyemi Yekini, the Chief of Defence Staff, exhorted the graduating former Boko Haram militants to continue to be law-abiding and responsible citizens.
He reminded them that they are still bound by the oath they took to the federal government.
“I encourage you all to prepare up for the hardships ahead as you turn to your communities for your integration stage,” Yekini stated.
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“Some of you may face hostility and rejection in your communities, but I am certain that if you remember and put what you learned throughout the DRR program into practice, you will overcome these obstacles.”
“I urge you to go out there and be worthy ambassadors of Operation Safe Corridor by being law-abiding and responsible citizens.
“Finally, I want to remind you of the consequences of violating the oath of allegiance you have sworn. You must uphold the pledge to be loyal to the federal government at all times and shun all forms of violence and criminality.”
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