The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor has disclosed that about 51,828 Boko haram fighters and their family members have surrendered to the Federal Government between July 2021 and May 2022.
Gen. Irabor disclosed this while delivering a lecture at the 7th Founders’ Day of the Edo State University Uzairue, titled “National Defence Policy And Transitional Justice Approach In The War Against Insurgency In Nigeria.”
He said out of the 51,828 members of the insurgent, 13,360 were fighters.
He disclosed that 1,543 repentant terrorists have so far graduated from the Mallam Sidi camp, in Gombe state between 2016 and 2022, while 1,935 have been released from the camp in Bulumkutu, Maiduguri.
He said Operation Safe Corridor as a transitional justice approach was created similar to the Niger Delta Amnesty programme launched by the federal government in 2009 which involved the setting up of special facilities where repentant terrorists who surrendered their arms can be rehabilitated.
“About 51,828 Boko Haram fighters and their family members have surrendered to the federal government between July 2021 and May 2022.
“The Operation Safe Corridor offers numerous opportunities and participants are scheduled for vocational training to ease their reintegration into the society”, he emphasised.
“Despite the modest successes recorded by operation safe corridor in the fight against crime, the programme still faced a lot of challenges.
“Some of the challenges include the lack of specialised training expertise and inadequate physical structure, inadequate collaboration and coordination, absence of appropriate legislation on reintegration, low agency and international participation as well as ineffective monitoring system.
He, however, identified the way forward to include train-the-trainers programme and establishment of special fund for deradicalisation, reintegration and Reorientation, establishment of a national commission for DRR, enacting of a DRR Act, building of strategic partnerships and adoption of a whole-of-society approach to monitoring,” he said.
He added that in any counter insurgency, transitional justice plays a key role in healing wounds such as Nigerian civil war and the Niger Delta crisis.
He disclosed that Operation Safe Corridor has achieved some degree of successes which could be built upon.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor, commended the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu for their continuous support for the university and for creating enabling environment for the university to strive.
The VC also thanked the guest lecturer, Gen. Lucky Irabor for accepting to deliver this year’s founder’s day lecture of the university.
He requested him to take a tour of the university saying that the beauty of the university is not just the archetetural masterpiece, but in the content and facilities available for teaching and research.
Prof. Aluyor said that the lectures over the years have gradually shaped the outlook of the Edo State University Uzairue founder’s day ceremony where both students and parents look forward to the lecture where important issues on how Nigeria can be harness into a country of our collective dreams are delivered.
According to him, “Edo state university Uzairue since inception have been committed to pursuit of world class goals in teaching, learning and research which is why we are proud of our products.”
“We are not resting in taking the university to a greater hieght as we planned to open up new programmes such as Pharmacy and post graduate programmes in other areas to compliment what we already have on ground,” he concluded.
On his part, Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki represented by the visitor to the university, Hon. Inusa Imhonopi commended the management of the university for the successful hosting of this year’s founder’s day.
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