The Borno State Government has taken custody of 230 repentant Boko Haram members who completed a deradicalisation programme under Operation Safe Corridor. The individuals, all Borno natives, were part of a larger group of 390 former insurgents who voluntarily surrendered to the Nigerian Army and graduated from the Federal Government’s Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) Camp in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State.
At the joint graduation ceremony for batches six and seven, Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, praised the collaborative efforts among agencies that made the programme successful. He called on communities to support reintegration efforts, noting the participants underwent six months of psychological counselling, religious reorientation, civic education, and vocational training to prepare them for civilian life.
Col. A.A. Johnson, Commandant of the DRR Camp, emphasized that the programme addresses both ideological and behavioural issues.
He added that the oath of allegiance taken by the graduates represents their commitment to peace and national unity.
Representing Borno State, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, reaffirmed Governor Babagana Zulum’s dedication to peacebuilding and reintegration.
“We are here to welcome our indigenes and reassure them that Borno is ready to reintegrate them into society with dignity.
This process is about forgiveness, healing, and rebuilding,” she said.
Gambo also commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Federal Government for their role in restoring peace in the North-East through initiatives like the DRR programme.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from several states including Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Kano, and others, as well as officials from key security and development agencies, such as the Defence Headquarters, Nigeria Police, State Security Services, and the North-East Development Commission.