Over 83, 000 BHT/ISWAP Terrorists and Their Families have So Far Surrendered to Troops; 613 Repentant Terrorists to Graduate from Deradicalization programme and handed over to States by Feb 2023 – CDS, Gen Irabor.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor on Thursday disclosed that over 83, 000 insurgents and their family members have so far surrendered to troops in the ongoing war against terrorism in the North East while scores of those captured have been tried and convicted to various jail terms by law courts in differents parts of the country.

The CDS stated this just as the Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, Major General James Yusufu Maina disclosed that a total of 613 clients (repentant terrorists) who were transferred to the DRR Camp to undergo deradicalization training, including 5 foreigners from Chad and Niger are to graduate from the programme by the end of February 2023.

Speaking at a the opening ceremony of a stakeholders meeting of Operation Safe Corridoe to work out modalities for transfering rehabilitated clients to their states government authorities on Thursday, Gen Irabor urged the stakeholders to ensure that all idssues that would make for a smooth transfer process are resolved.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, the CDS said, “This meeting, the 5th in the series of operation Safe Corridor, is part of the activities geared towards the successful transfer of rehabilitated clients to their State Government authorities for reintegration. Far reaching decisions are usually taken at these sessions and I have been particularly impressed with the manner at which the outcomes have been implemented.

“My expectation is that all issues that would lead to the successful transfer and eventual reintegration of the 613 clients currently undergoing the De- radicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) Programme would be exhaustively discussed. It is important to remind us all that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has been involved in dealing with the menace of insurgency for over 12 years now.

“Currently, BHT/ISWAP have been significantly degraded and their activities are restricted to a small portion of Sambisa Forest and isolated islands on the Lake Chad from where the Sects carry out occasional attacks on soft military and civilian targets.

“Through consistent and effective air interdictions along with well-coordinated clearance operations on positively identified strongholds of the insurgents, troops have continued to inflict heavy casualties on the groups and their leadership cadre.

“These sustained operations continue to put pressure and confusion within the ranks of the adversary causing many to surrender to the AFN. As at today, over 83,000 insurgents and their family members have surrendered, while those captured have been tried and convicted to various jail terms by the law courts. As we speak, many more captured combatants are being held in several correctional facilities and their trial is ongoing.

Emphasizing that, “Counter-insurgency operation is dynamic and requires a lot of ingenuity and proactive strategies to achieve success” the CDS said, “One of such strategies adopted by the Federal Government is by extending an olive branch to low profile members of the insurgent groups who form the critical mass.

“Consequently, in September 2015, the President and Commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari established OPSC, to create opportunities for willing and repentant BHT/ISWAP to lay down their arms and undergo a structured DRR Programme. The Scheme is a multi-agency and humanitarian operation which draws from the expertise of over 17 Services, Ministries, Departments and Agencies with the support of local and international organisations as well as interested friendly nations.

“I can only describe this whole of government approach and the huge synergy existing among all players in OPSC as Awesome. Therefore, it is gratifying to inform this gathering that the successes of OPSC continues to resonate within the region and in the diaspora, thereby attracting the interest of researchers from far and wide.

“It is also important to mention that upon graduation from the programme, each client will be provided some food and personal items, as well as start-up pack according to the trade learnt during training. The idea is to enable them set up small businesses and start a new life.

“In this trajectory therefore, the DHQ recommends that the receiving state governments should provide additional necessary support to enable the ex-combatants wade through this transitional and most challenging phase of their lives.

“We are optimistic that working closely with local and traditional authorities, the States can deploy security apparatus at their disposal to effectively track and evaluate the reintegrated ex- combatants.

“I must emphasise that it is critical for all stakeholders involved in the reintegration processes in order to mitigate, or completely eliminate incidences of recidivism. Let me seize this opportunity to commend members of OPSC for their relentless efforts at realising the objectives of the DRR Programme. Our appreciation also goes to the implementation partners and friendly nations who continue to provide technical support for OPSC activities”.

In his remarks, Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, Maj. Gen Maina said, “Since the commencement of the Programme in 2016, OPSC has successfully processed 1,573 clients comprising 1,555 Nigerians and 18 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger. All the foreign clients were transferred to their respective national authorities for reintegration.

“On 8 September 2022, a total of 613 clients were transferred to the DRR Camp to commence training. Amongst them are 5 foreigners from Chad and Niger. It is also important to mention that 19 client were subsequently transferred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital neurological center (UMTH) for expert psychiatric management.

“Our purpose this morning, in line with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff/National Chairman of OPSC, is to work out modalities for the smooth transfer of the clients presently in the camp to their national and states authorities for re-integration after graduation in February 2023.

“Specifically, at the end of this meeting, it is expected that we would have achieved the following milestones:
A. All stakeholders would be fully abreast with activities of OPSC and DRR Programme in particular.

B. The State authorities and the MDAS would know in specific terms, the roles they would play in the transfer as well as re- integration process of the clients.

C. Identify and recommend in specific terms affordable Resettlement Package for the clients and assign responsibility to relevant MDAs to provide.

D. Determine the mode community sensitization, camp visitation and community service programmes would take.

E. Ratify the Graduation Date and initiate arrangements for the ceremony.

He said OPSC is a multi-agency humanitarian scheme backed by extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as International Humanitarian and Human Right Laws. The operation consists of personnel drawn from 17 Services, Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“This unique composition presents a whole of government approach towards tackling the insurgency in the Northeast. In order to foster synergy and improve the capacity of personnel in-tandem with global best practices, OPSC in conjunction with its implementation partners conducts regular trainings in the form of seminars, workshops and strategic retreats. This perhaps explains why the activities of OPSC has continued to attract the attention of local and international researchers in the field of DRR”.

Present at the stakeholders meeting were government representatives from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara States and principal Staff Officers of DHQ and representatives of Service Chiefs, IGP and Para-military organizations.