The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said 800 individuals who were previously associated with Boko Haram and have surrendered are currently participating in a deradicalisation initiative aimed at their reintegration into society.
This was disclosed by the Chief of Defence, Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief this Monday.
According to him, approximately 129,000 individuals, including former insurgents and their families, have surrendered to authorities.
However, only 800 of them have been selected for the Operation Safe Corridor program, which focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration.
Onumajuru stated that individuals who surrender undergo a legal review process, and those deemed culpable remain in detention, while others are placed in rehabilitation.
“Currently, around 129,000 former Boko Haram members and their families have surrendered. Not all of them are in the deradicalisation program. Only about 800 are undergoing the process after passing through legal screenings,” he said.
He also addressed concerns regarding the feasibility of reintegration within a one-year period, asserting that professionals oversee the process and that the timeframe is considered adequate based on their expertise.
Onumajuru highlighted that addressing insurgency requires both military action and non-military strategies, emphasising that deradicalisation is a critical component of broader security efforts.