613 Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists To Be Reintegrated Into Society – Chief Of Defence Staff, Irabor

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, says 613 rehabilitated low-risk repentant terrorists will be transferred to their state governments for reintegration into the society.

Mr Irabor made the disclosure during the fifth Stakeholders’ Meeting of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), on Thursday in Abuja.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Training and Operation, Major-General Adeyemi Yekini, the CDS said the 613 clients are currently undergoing deradicalisation and rehabilitation handled by the OPSC.

He said that the meeting would exhaustively discuss the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) Programme ahead of the transfer of the rehabilitated clients to their state governments.

Mr Irabor said the OPSC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2015 as a window for willing and repentant terrorists to lay down their arms and undergo a structured DRR programme.

He added that the scheme was a multi-agency and humanitarian operation utilising the expertise of over 17 services, ministries, departments and agencies, supported by local and international organisations and friendly nations.

The CDS said the successes of OPSC had continued to resonate within the region and in the diaspora, thereby attracting the interest of researchers from far and wide.

“It is also important to mention that upon graduation from the programme, each client will be provided some food and personal items, as well as start-up pack according to the trade learnt during training to enable them set up small businesses and start a new life.”

Mr Irabor recommended that the receiving state governments should provide necessary support to enable the ex-combatants wade through the transitional and most challenging phase of their lives.

“We are optimistic that working closely with local and traditional authorities, the states can deploy security apparatus at their disposal to effectively track and evaluate the re-integrated ex- combatants.

“I must emphasise that it is critical for all stakeholders involved in the reintegration processes in order to mitigate, or completely eliminate incidences of recidivism,” he said.

Mr Irabor said the Armed Forces had significantly degraded Boko Haram and Islamic State terrorists and restricted them to a small portion of Sambisa Forest and isolated islands on the Lake Chad.

According to him, through consistent and effective air interdictions along with well coordinated clearance operations on positively identified strongholds of the insurgents, troops have continued to inflict heavy casualties on the groups and their leadership.

“These sustained operations continue to put pressure and confusion within the ranks of the adversary causing many to surrender to the armed forces.

“As at today, over 83,000 insurgents and their family members have surrendered, while those captured have been tried and convicted to various jail terms by the law courts.

“As we speak, many more captured combatants are being held in several correctional facilities and their trial is ongoing,” Irabor said.

The CDS said that the military has been adopting kinetic and non kinetic methods to win the war against insurgency.

“I must emphasise that counterinsurgency operation is dynamic and requires a lot of ingenuity and proactive strategies to achieve success.

“One of such strategies adopted by the Federal Government is by extending an olive branch to low profile members of the insurgent groups who form the critical mass,” he said.

The Coordinator of OPSC, Major-General Joseph Maina, said the programme had successfully processed 1,573 clients comprising 1,555 Nigerians and 18 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger since its commencement in 2016.

Mr Maina said that all the foreign clients were transferred to their respective countries for reintegration.

He said that the 613 clients were transferred to the DRR camp on September 8, 2022 to commence training, adding that among them were five foreigners from Chad and Niger.

The OPSC coordinator disclosed that 19 of the clients have been transferred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital neurological center for expert psychiatric management.

Sheirk Gumi Is Helping Nigeria Fight Insecurity, We Can’t Stop Him – Chief Of Defence Staff, Irabo Says

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has revealed why the Nigeria Army can’t stop Sheirkh Gumi

General Lucky Irabo has said that controversial Islamic scholar Ahmad Gumi is playing his part to tame the menace of insecurity in the country and would not be stopped by the military.

Mr Irabor, speaking at a ministerial briefing organised by the you communications team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, says that while Mr Gumi does not work for the military, the military will not prevent anyone from contributing to the country’s security.

Mr Gumi, a self-appointed mediator between bandits and the government, has been at the forefront of articulating the position of bandits wreaking havoc across the North.

The influential Islamic cleric recently stated that one-third of Nigeria’s budget for battling insecurity should be spent on bandits through techniques other than fighting, such as enlightenment and listening to their problems.

During a recent speaking engagement at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mr Gumi stated that the humane side of bandits could be optimised by by showing them understanding and respect.

He said he has been able to undertake several visits and negotiations with the brigands simply by showing empathy to their yearnings.

The advocacy of Mr Gumi for bandits drew flaks from the presidency weeks past.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman Femi Adesina slammed him as “bandits-lover”.

Many Nigerians have also called for Mr Gumi’s interrogation.

Mr Irabor also announced that the military has received all 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets ordered from the United States.