155 ex-Boko Haram fighters set for release into society

No fewer than 154 ex-Boko Haram ex-Boko Haram terrorists that
have been rehabilitated under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation
and Reintegration (DRR) programme are now set to be reintegrated
into the society.

Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Shafa, Coordinator Operations Safe Corridor
(OSC) disclosed this at the end of a rehabilitation programme for
the repentant boko haram members in Gombe on Saturday.

He said this was the second batch of the programme.

“The first batch of 95 clients who were discharged in February,
have been successfully reintegrated .

“By the grace of God, a total of 155 clients will also be
discharged and handed over to their state authorities for
reintegration and resettlement,” he said.

He said, prior to the event, a stakeholders’ meeting was held on
Oct. 4, at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff to work out
modalities for the reintegration.

“As part of the decisions reached at the meeting, visits were
conducted in Partnership with the Presidential Committee on North
East Initiative and the Centre for Democracy and Development to
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to sensitize the state authorities,
traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant
stakeholders on the need to reconcile, resettle and reintegrate the
clients back into their communities.

“I wish to state that, the reception of the various stakeholders
in the Tree states were warm, encouraging and assuring that these
repentant youths would be accepted wholeheartedly on return”, he
said.

Also speaking, Col. Beyidi Martins, the Camp Commandant also
said they were working closely with the International Organisation
for Migration (IOM).

He said the organisation has supported the DRR Programme using
funding from the U.S. Government and other European Countries.

According to him, outgoing client had been fully trained on
various skills during the rehabilitation.

Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State commended President
Muhammad Buhari for initiating the programme and appreciated the
effort of camp officials.

Dankwambo who was represented by his agriculture commissioner,
Alhaji Abba Buba-Biri, promised to support all programmes toward
attaining lasting peace in the North East and Nigeria at large.

In his remarks, the Emir of Fika, Dr Muhammad Abali, commended
the Nigerian Army for its contribution towards finding lasting
peace in the North-East.

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