Abayomi Olonisakin, the chief of defence staff, CDS, and chairman of Operation Safe Corridor, on Saturday, July 25, 2020, issued a red card to members of the outlawed Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa, ISWAP asking them to lay down their arms and embrace peace in their own interest.
Olonisakin who was apparently emboldened by the graduation of 601 BH/ISWAP ex-combatants, the largest so far said the armed forces and other security agencies operating in the North East are ready to provide safe passage for the insurgents to lay down their arms.
The Chief of Defense Staff address was read by Rear Admiral V C Okeke, the director of Education, Defence Headquarters.
“As these clients are being reintegrated, let me seize this opportunity to advise members of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, still lurking around in the bushes to lay down their arms, embrace peace and join the re-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration programme in their own interest.
“To this end, the armed forces in Nigeria and other security agencies operating in the North East will provide safe passage for you to lay down your arms for good.
“I have observed steady progress of the scheme and no doubt it is a working strategy complementing other efforts of the Federal government to restore peace in the North East.
“Today, we are witnessing a major achievement of the Federal government of Nigeria at ensuring lasting peace in the North East. Since the commencement of operation Safe Corridor in 2016, a total of 914 clients have undergone the deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration programme. Among which 280 including two Chadians have been successfully transferred to their Nationals and state authorities for reintegration. Am glad to inform you that these clients have been fully reintegrated and wholly accepted by their host communities. Since 2017 when the first set of 29 graduated and reintegrated, there has been no negative report concerning any of them. Today the largest set of 601 are graduating for reintegration to their nation and state, ” he said.
The CDS said fund and starter packs will be provided for the repentant Boko Haram ex-combatants to Star their lives after 24 weeks of training.
Bamidele Shafa, the coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, in his address announced the graduation of 601 deradicalised ex Boko Haram combatants at the DRR camp in Mallam Sidi, Gombe.
Out of the 601 graduates of the batch 4 client which arrived in 2 chalk on 27 November and 14 December, 2019 592 are Nigerians from 10 states of the federation while 14 are foreign Nationals from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
Also out of this number, three died of health complications while one was referred for further medical treatment at the Neuro-psychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri.
Shafa said another one was withdrawn on disciplinary ground and transferred for re-categorization and prosecution.
“On arrival at the camp, the clients went through documentation processes to obtain vital background information after which they were subjected to comprehensive medical screening to determine their health status
“Their DNA samples were also collected while their biometrics were captured on National Data using the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, facilities for future references. The background information serves as a guide for the experts; Local Treatment Team, LTT, to properly place the clients for treatment therapies and vocational training. The LTT are specialized experts in various fields of deradicalisation and rehabilitation therapies drawn from the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS,” he said.
According to him, the scheme became fully operational on the 22nd April 2016 under the strategic guidance of the Chief of Defense Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin who is the chairman of Operation Safe Corridor National Committee. Between 2016 and July 2020, a total of 914 ex-combatants otherwise referred to as clients have been admitted into the deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration programme.
Out of this number, 280 including two Chadians have been successfully transferred to their nation and states.
Source: The Nation
