559 repentant B/H, ISWAP members graduate in Gombe De-radicalisation camp
No fewer than 559 repentant members of Boko Haram and Islamic West African Province (ISWAP), were released after undergoing de-radicalisation exercise by Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC).
Among those graduated and equipped number include; two chadians engaged in various vocational trainings in carpentry, wedding, tailoring, barbing and laundry services.
Addressing the repentant warlords during the weekend, Commandant of OPSC, Colonel Uche Nnabuihe, explained that the graduation was a combination of regular batch 5- 2021, special batch 3-2021 and Sulhu batch 4- 2021 sessions.
He said, “63 indicated interest in barbing; 76 for shoemaking; 175 for welding; 167 trained in tailoring; 56 for carpentry and 22 went for laundry services.”
On his part, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor represented by Chief of Defence, training and Operations, Gen. Adeyemi Yekini commended them for their decision to lay down arms against the country.
Irabor, urged them to fulfill their part of oath taken, reminding them that going back to their old way of life may be resisted with mightier force.
According to the CDS, “The DRR camp provides psychological, psycho-social/psycho-spiritual therapies as well as vocational training which provide viable alternatives to low-profile combatants.”
He revealed that over 1,000 clients have been processed by OPSC between 2015 to date of which 984 including 16 foreigners were successfully reintegrated.
“I have no doubt that this non-kinetic strategy initiated by the federal government will continue to impact positively on military operations in the North East,” he added.
While highlighting that the graduands’ immediate communities may be reluctant to reabsorb them, Irabor said, “but I can assure you that if you remember and practice everything you learnt during the DRR program, you will surmount these challenges.”
He added that they should ensure the vocational training they acquired would be their source of income, “please, resist the temptation to sell them (equipment and tools) off as your survival will largely depend on them,” he advised.
