On Thursday, military authorities announced that they will turn over 613 “low-risk repentant” terrorists to their respective state governments.
Fidel Info reports that Operation Safe Corridor is now handling the de-radicalization and rehabilitation of the 613 rehabilitated terrorists.
General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff, made this announcement in Abuja at the sixth stakeholder meeting for Operation Safe Corridor.
Irabor announced that the meeting would discuss the Deradicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration Programme before the rehabilitated individuals were transferred to their state governments. Irabor was represented at the meeting by Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, the Chief of Defence Training and Operations.
He said, “The OPSC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2015 as a window for willing and repentant terrorists to lay down their arms and undergo a structured DRR programme.”
“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 a start-up pack according to the trade learnt during training to enable them to set up small businesses and start a new life.”
“We, therefore recommend that the receiving state governments should provide the necessary support to enable the ex-combatants to wade through the 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 re-integrated ex-combatants.”
“I must emphasise that it is critical for all stakeholders involved in the reintegration processes to mitigate, or eliminate incidences of recidivism.”