The de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration (DRR) camp run by the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State, has graduated no less than 594 former Boko Haram fighters.
The camp Commandant, Col. Uche Nnabuihe, said during the graduation ceremony that “Fifteen clients hail from Adamawa, 495 from Borno, 16 from Yobe, 16 from Kano, three from Gombe, 13 from Kaduna, one from Kogi, 12 from Bauchi, five from Jigawa, five from Katsina, four from Kebbi, one from Nasarawa, one from Plateau, while two are from Zamfara states.”
According to Nnabuihe, 590 of the 594 graduating repentant terrorists are Nigerian citizens, while the other four are foreigners—three Nigeriens and one Chadian.
He added that when they arrived, the National Identity Management Commission took their data and conducted medical exams on them.
Nnabuihe stated, “Today marks yet another milestone in the de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration program for regular Batch Six 2002 and Special Batch 4 2002 clients who arrived at the DRR camp between September 2022 and October 8, 2022, for the mandatory de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration program. A united team of medical professionals from the DRR camp clinic and Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe evaluated the clients, a total of 594, thoroughly upon arrival. The medical examinations aimed to determine the clients’ overall health so that suitable and sufficient care could be given throughout the DRR training cycle.
“They were trained in skills for self-reliance after reinterpreting with their communities in this regard,” Nnabuihe continued. Eighty-five customers received training in barbering, 81 clients received training in shoemaking, 158 clients chose welding as their profession, 213 clients chose tailoring, and moreover, 38 clients received training in carpentry and 28 clients received training in laundry services. Every client took part in the required integrated farming training exercises, which also included agro, poultry, and fish farming.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Maina, the coordinator of Operation Secure Corridor, lamented the effects of the Boko Haram insurgency in the region’s North-East, adding that it has continued to have a detrimental effect on people’s lives, livelihoods, and development.
He stated that “It’s on record that the activities of these groups have led to the displacement of over two million people internally and so many others driven into neighboring countries as refugees.
“Recognising the limits of pure military solution and the urgent need to end the untold suffering, the Federal Government introduced Operation Safe Corridor as a non-kinetic multi-agency approach in the support of military actions since 2015.”
A remorseful Boko Haram member, Muhammad Abba, apologized to Nigerians for the group’s atrocities committed against numerous communities in the nation during the graduation ceremony.
“We apologize for our many wrongs to our communities and everyone here,” Abba stated. We apologize to everyone in the many communities we are from; we sincerely regret the crimes committed and will not repeat them.
“We have sworn allegiance to our beloved, peaceful nation of Nigeria. We are aware of the repercussions of swearing an oath using the Quran or the Holy Bible.
Allah won’t be pleased with you if you break your vow. Even if you manage to escape Nigeria’s security, Allah would still punish you; we are confident of this. We promise to uphold our commitment to the allegiance and oath we have made.