The Defence Headquarters has revealed that 800 former Boko Haram fighters who surrendered to the military are currently undergoing a deradicalisation programme as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society. Speaking on Channels TV Morning Brief on Monday, the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Emeka Onumajuru, provided an update on the military’s handling of surrendered insurgents.
He disclosed that while approximately 129,000 Boko Haram members and their families had so far surrendered, only a select number have been chosen for rehabilitation. Onumajuru emphasized that all individuals who surrender undergo legal scrutiny.
Those found guilty of crimes are prosecuted, while others deemed suitable for reintegration are placed in the deradicalisation programme, which lasts about a year.
“To get the numbers right, right now, we have about 129,000 surrendered Boko Haram members and their families,” he said.
“Some of them are in detention facilities, some are in Kainji, and a special court is reviewing their cases. Those found culpable face legal action, while others go through the deradicalisation process.”
Defending the feasibility of rehabilitating ex-insurgents within a year, Onumajuru stressed that the programme is handled by professionals under Operation Safe Corridor, a non-kinetic approach to combating terrorism.
“It’s possible because the deradicalisation is done by professionals,” he explained. “That one-year period is sufficient, depending on the people handling the process.”
