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From: Ali Abare, Gombe
A second batch of 52 Boko Haram terrorists said to have surrendered to the Nigerian military are now undergoing de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme under the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) put in place by the Federal Government in order to restore peace to the North East.
Addressing the repentant ex-combatants at the camp, on Saturday, Coordinator of the OPSC, Major-General Bamidele Shafa, congratulated the Boko Haram members for choosing to surrender.
He charged them to take advantage of the window of opportunity provided at the camp to become better citizens while also advising them to be disciplined and conduct themselves according to the rules, regulations of the camp.
He said while at the camp, the ex-combatants would be exposed to various programmes geared towards making them better citizens, imbued with genuine nationalism.
The insurgents earlier landed at the international wing of the Gombe airport, conveyed in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 jet marked NAF913 before being conveyed to the rehabilitation camp in four buses belonging to the Gombe State transport company under tight security.
On arrival at the facility, the repentant Boko Haram ex-combatants were subjected to a screening and documentation exercise consisting of the filling of a consent and enrollment form as well as medical fitness test before being properly admitted into the camp.
Major-General Shafa disclosed that already, a pilot batch of six ex-combatants, graduated from the camp last June, “with some abductees and ex-combatants having undergone extensive therapies in spiritual counseling, psychotherapy and drug abuse intervention.”
The coordinator disclosed further that they were also introduced to various vocations, western education, arts, social works and sports before being resettled in their original place of residence to continue with the re-integration programme.
He appealed to other Boko Haram members still fighting in the bush to take opportunity of the window, to surrender their arms, and to become better citizens.
“This is a clarion call and a corridor of opportunity to remaining insurgents that are still in the bush to heed.
“The federal government has made arrangements for the re-integration of all surrendered insurgents, as you can see the comfortable condition of this facility, compared to the horrible condition of those that are still fighting in the bush. A word is enough for the wise,” he said.
