The Yobe Government has announced its readiness to reintegrate ex-members of Boko Haram who have undergone the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme under Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC).
Governor Mai Mala Buni made this known on Thursday in Damaturu when he received the delegation of OPSC led by Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Buni, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Idi Gubana, described the visit as an opportunity for strategic engagement and collaboration between the state and security forces.
He lamented how the over 15-year insurgency had consumed thousands of lives in Yobe, destroyed public and private properties and displaced many households.
The governor said the state government had recognised that not all members of the terrorist group joined willingly, saying a non-kinetic approach offered a chance to salvage and reintegrate those who show remorse.
“We shared the belief that some individuals were conscripted into the insurgency through force or indoctrination.
“With sustained efforts, they can repent, rehabilitate and return to normal life as responsible citizens,” Buni said.
The governor said 390 repentant insurgents including 54 indigenes of Yobe would be graduating from the DRR programme between April 14 and 19.
He said the state had put mechanisms in place through its Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to ensure effective reintegration.
“I wish to assure Operation Safe Corridor that the state government is committed to adopting and implementing your recommendations to achieve the desired objectives,” Buni said.
The governor, however, expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his “unshakable commitment to ending insurgency and major crimes through a multifaceted approach.”
Earlier, the CDS said the OPSC had developed a robust filtering system to ensure only genuine repentant and non-hardcore elements were reintegrated.
He said some individuals were abducted, radicalised against their will and forced to join an insurgent group, adding that the DRR programme had transformed the victims’ lives.
“Safe Corridor is not about revenge; it is about peace and reconciliation,” Musa, who was represented by Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Ali said.
The CDS, who is also the Chairman of National Steering Committee Operations Safe Corridor, said, “many of those we screen are victims themselves.
“We have seen their remorse and willingness to change.”
The CDS also stressed the need for community involvement to sustain the reintegration process, noting that de-radicalisation was a continuous process that must be supported at the community level.
Musa also appealed to the state government to support the expansion of de-radicalisation centres and vocational training facilities and the provision of modern equipment to make rehabilitation more impactful.
“With your support, those who observe the positive changes in the lives of ex-members will be encouraged to surrender willingly,” he said.
