The Yobe state government has disclosed its readiness to reintegrate the 54 ex-members of Boko Haram who had undergone the de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration (DRR) programme under Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC).
Governor Mai Mala Buni made the disclosure Friday in Damaturu when he received a delegation of OPSC led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa.
Buni, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Idi Gubana described the visit as an opportunity for strategic engagements and collaborations between the state and security forces.
He lamented how the over 15-year insurgency has consumed thousands of lives in Yobe, destroyed public and private property and displaced many households.
The governor said the state government had recognised that not all members of the terrorist group joined willingly, adding that “a non-kinetic approach offered a chance to salvage and reintegrate those who show remorse.”
“We shared the belief that some individuals were conscripted into the insurgency through force or indoctrination. With sustained efforts, they can repent, rehabilitate and return to normal life as responsible citizens,” Buni said.
The governor said further, “390 repentant insurgents, including 54 indigenes of Yobe state, would be graduating from the DRR programme between April 14 and 19.
“We had put mechanisms in place through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to ensure effective reintegration.
“I wish to assure Operation Safe Corridor that the state government is committed to adopting and implementing your recommendations with a view to achieving the desired objectives.”
The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “unshakable commitment to ending insurgency and major crimes through a multifaceted approach.”