The Borno State Government has received 230 repentant Boko Haram insurgents who recently completed the Federal Government’s Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme under Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State.
The return of the ex-combatants comes amid renewed concerns by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who had recently lamented that Borno is losing ground in the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the insurgents, all of whom are Borno indigenes, were part of 390 individuals formerly affiliated with Boko Haram who voluntarily surrendered to the Nigerian Army and graduated from the DRR camp in Malam Sidi.
Speaking at the joint graduation ceremony of Batches Six and Seven, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, commended the multi-agency collaboration that made the programme possible. He urged host communities to support the reintegration of the ex-insurgents, noting that they had undergone six months of structured rehabilitation, including psychological counselling, religious reorientation, civic education, and vocational training.
“This initiative is designed to help them transition into responsible citizens and contribute positively to society,”; Brig.-Gen. Ali stated.
The Commandant of the DRR Camp, Colonel A.A. Johnson, emphasized that the programme addresses both ideological and behavioural transformation. He added that the oath of allegiance taken by the graduates signifies their readiness to embrace peace and national unity.
Representing the Borno State Government, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, reiterated Governor Zulum’s commitment to peacebuilding and inclusive reintegration.
“We are here to welcome our indigenes and reassure them that Borno is ready to reintegrate them into society with dignity. This process is about forgiveness, healing, and rebuilding,”; she said.
Gambo also acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the federal government in creating avenues for sustainable peace through the DRR programme.
The event drew participants from several states including Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Kogi, alongside representatives from the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
Other stakeholders present included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Ministry of Justice, and various actors involved in the reintegration framework.
