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Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
As fight against Boko Haram (BH) rages on in the North-East, the Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development has revealed that one out of over 8,000 repentant former members the terror group is making N250,000 from barbing every month.
According to Commissioner Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme of the Nigeria Army (NA) has restored hope for peace in the region. She said this was because repentant former members of BH have graduated from the programme and have been re-integrated into society. She said the ex-terrorists are faring well and have since become a source of skills acquisition in their various communities.
Hajiya Zuwaira stated this in an interview with newsmen at the inauguration of a Quasi-Judicial Panel at the DRR camp in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State. She said clients who graduated from the programme did not just graduate de-radicalised and rehabilitated but graduated as teachers to their reintegrated communities.
Code-named Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), the DRR is a programme designed by the Nigerian Army to take the fight against the insurgent group beyond bullets and bombs to fight the heart and minds of the group members.
According to the Coordinator of OPSC Maj-Gen Bamidele Shafa, about 893 clients have been brought to the camp for the DRR programme out of which 280 including Chadians have been successfully de-radicalised and transferred to their states and national authorities for reintegration into society.
He said the inaugurated judicial panel was a major requirement before the graduation and reintegration of the clients who have completed the program back into society.
‘The the panel is for the clients to appear before it to confess their pasts and denounce their membership of Boko Haram, Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) as the case may be and also seek forgiveness. And swear Oath of Allegiance to be loyal, discipline and obedient citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and then make the commitment.
‘The commitment is that at the end of the program, where they commit any offense, they stand to forfeit all privileges that they have acquired today and will be liable of offense against the State,’ Shafa said while explaining with the commitment made by the clients before the panel on Monday all is now set for 602 clients including 14 foreigners to be graduated and transferred to their states.
