FG Clarifies ‘Recruiting’ Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists Into The Military

The authorities of the Nigerian Military have submitted that there is no truth in reports that repentant Boko Haram terrorists are been recruited into the Army.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor who was represented by the Chief of Defence Logistics, Major General Adeyemi Yekini debunked the reports on Tuesday while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Operation Safe Corridor stakeholders’ meeting held at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He stated that there are stringent measures put in place for recruitment into the military and other security agencies, and there’s no provision for recruiting ex-Boko Haram fighters even after they have been rehabilitated.

According to him, none of the over 1,000 persons who have gone through Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) has ever been recruited into the military or other security agencies, neither is there any future plan to recruit them.

He stated that Operation Safe Corridor is not a recruitment process but is targeted at deradicalizing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating repentant insurgents.

Naija News gathered that Tuesday’s event was designed for stakeholders in the programme to fashion out modalities for the transfer of rehabilitated insurgents to the state governments.

In his words, “Let me at this juncture state that OPSC is not a purely military operation, as some have suggested. The OPSC is a peace-building effort and its essential duties are carried out by relevant MDAS with the necessary expertise.

“The military and other security and law enforcement agencies are involved to the extent of creating an enabling environment and leadership for the DRR Programme to function efficiently.

“There have also been concerns that OPSC graduates are being recruited by the military and paramilitary agencies.

“I wish to clearly dispute this assertion and reassure Nigerians that none of the over 1,000 rehabilitated Nigerians from OPSC DRR has been recruited and will never be recruited into the Nigerian Military or sister security services due to stringent safeguards in place to prevent such recruitment.

“I am particularly enthralled to note that OPSC has continued to improve its programs principles, practices and procedures over the years. Today, this initiative has become a model that has been replicated in all the Lake Chad Basin Countries. It has also elicited the interest of both local and international bodies including academia.

“The DRR Program consists of psychological humanitarian treatments that reassure and provide alternatives to low-profile combatants through psycho-social/psycho-spiritual therapies, recreations, vocational training, and introductory western education, thereby countering BHT/ISWAP ideologies and reducing their recruitment drive while depleting the critical mass of their fighting force.”