…14 foreigners de-radicalised
A total of 789 ex-terrorist combatants are undergoing the De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) programme under the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) initiative.
The OPSC programme was initiated by the Nigerian government due to the mass surrendering of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) members.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, announced this on Tuesday, February 18, at the OPSC Stakeholders Meeting at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
Gen. Musa, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, AVM Sayo Olatunde, said the programme was induced by well-coordinated operations by all stakeholders.
This, according to him, has led to over 120,000 insurgents and their family members surrendering since the inception of the programme.
The CDS said that the 789 ex-combatants were expected to graduate this year.
He added that the meeting centered on coming up with modalities to ensure the proper reintegration of the first of two batches consisting of 391 clients into their states.
The CDS said that the meeting would also provide a critical platform for us to reflect on our collective effort concerning the de-radicalization initiative while assessing their progress and strategizing against anticipated challenges.
He said: “I must state that your relentless efforts and commitment to ensuring national security are highly appreciated.
“The successes recorded so far are a testament to your resilience and commitment to duty.
“Despite the successes, we must remember that there is a lot more to be done hence the importance of this stakeholder meeting.
“Consequently, we currently have a total of 789 ex-combatants undergoing a de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration program under the initiative who are expected to graduate this year.
“Today’s meeting, therefore, centered on coming up with modalities to ensure the proper reintegration of the first of two batches consisting of 391 clients into their states.”
Gen. Musa urged benefiting state governments to facilitate the seamless reintegration of the ex-combatants by providing additional support to ease the transition process.
He expressed optimism that working closely with local and traditional authorities would help states deploy security apparatus at their disposal to effectively track and monitor the progress of the reintegrated ex-combatants.
The CDS said: “I must emphasize that all stakeholders must be actively involved in this reintegration process to foster resiliency.
“Do not also forget the importance of this meeting ensuring lasting peace and security in our country,” he said.
In his remarks, Commander, Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Ali said that OPSC was a multi-agency humanitarian scheme backed by extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as International Humanitarian and Human Rights Laws.
Ali said the programme had since commencement in 2016, successfully processed 2,190 clients comprising 2,163 Nigerians and 27 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
He said that all the foreign clients were transferred to their respective national authorities for reintegration.
According to him, between July and November 2024, a total of 825 clients were transferred to the DRR Camp to commence training.
He said: “Amongst them are 14 foreigners from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
“It is also important to mention that 22 clients were subsequently transferred to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri for further evaluation and management,” he said.
The commander said the meeting was to work out modalities for the smooth transfer of the clients presently in the camp to their national and state authorities for reintegration after graduation in March.