The Nigerian Army on Wednesday graduated 22 ex-Boko Haram members after undergoing months of Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme in Gombe State.
The graduation ceremony of the repentant terrorists took place at Malam Sidi camp in Kwami Local Government Area of the state.
In his address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, said the DRR was being executed under Operation Safe Corridor (OSC), was a very significant non-kinetic approach of the Federal Government towards resolving the menace of terrorism and insurgency.
Musa said that since the programme began in 2016, no fewer than 2, 168 clients had been trained and reintegrated into the society.
The CDS said he had directed the overhauling of the OSC for improved outcomes.
He said that the overhaul include modifying the curriculum, and digitising the profiling system of the participants.
Musa, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Muhammed Ahmed, said efforts were on to reengineer the monitoring process of graduates of the scheme, especially with regard to their conducts and activities in the society.
According to him, the successes and failures of the scheme are being evaluated constantly to ensure that it has not derail from its original focus.
The CDS assured Nigerians that the OSC was not recycling terrorists and insurgents back to the society as being peddled by mischievous people.
He said those peddling negative narrative about the programme were not only peddling falsehood but also clearly unpatriotic.
“Others have gone to the extent of alleging that the graduates of the scheme are covertly recruited into the Armed forces of Nigeria, the Nigerian Police and other related government security agencies.
“Arising from such insinuations which are mostly perpetrated by mischief makers, are misguided patriots.
“I want to reassure our citizens with all forms of patriotism and responsibility, that the Armed forces of Nigeria under my watch will not allow such unfounded imaginations to happen,” the CDS said.
Musa appealed to hosts communities where the clients would be integrated, and the entire society, to accept, tolerate and treat them kindly.
“Consider them as worthy individuals who are victims of circumstances that need help and care so as to erase agonies of terrorism and insurgency in their minds,” he said.
The Coordinator of OPS, Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Adamu, said that the 22 clients having graduated from the programme, would be reintegrated into their communities.
Adamu said that the graduating clients arrived the camp between February and April 2023, and
had undergone various activities aimed at equipping them with acceptable cultural and religious values.
The coordinator said that the clients were also subjected to various therapies to ascertain their mental state and readiness for reintegration.
According to him, the graduates did well during the deradicalisation programme and have been certified fit for graduation and reintegration into the society as better citizens of Nigeria.
Adamu commended the CDS and all critical stakeholders for their support towards ensuring that the clients became better citizens.
On his part, Mohammed Kyari, one of the graduating clients who spoke on behalf of the others, appreciated President Bola Tinubu and all officials of OSC.
Kyari assured that he and his colleagues would turn a new leaf and become good citizens of the country.
He said that they would be loyal to constituted authority and leverage their training at the camp to impact positively on their host communities.(NAN).
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