The Defence Headquarters has debunked reports that it was recruiting Boko Haram ex- fighters into the Nigerian military, insisting that such reports were false. According to a statement signed by Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the claims was not true and there was no such plans in the offing by the military.
He noted that the de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration program which was ongoing was a Federal Government program conducted under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor as a non- kinetic operation.
According to him, over 250 repentant insurgents who willingly abandoned their struggle and surrendered to federal troops have been de-radicalized, rehabilitated and re-integrated into the society by their respective state governments in conjunction with traditional and religious institutions.
Nwachukwu explained that Nigeria’s de-radicalization model was not new in the global community, as such model exists in Algeria, Colombia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where persons involved in violent extremism have been de-radicalized and rehabilitated hence the process was an internationally acceptable practice.
He noted that the de-radicalized ex-fighters were doing well in their respective communities, as no adverse report has been recorded against the de-radicalized repentant ex fighters by Operation Safe Corridor’s monitoring unit adding that there has not been report of molestation or harassment of any sort against them by members of the communities, where they are resettled.
He noted that the Federal Government of Nigeria has continued to prosecute BHT/ISWAP suspects in courts of competent jurisdiction and over 500 terrorists have so far been convicted as the next round of prosecution for another batch would commence soon.
