Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) weekend denied reports that it was recycling insurgency by recruiting former fighters of terrorist group, Boko Haram.
It said so far 500 terrorists were convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction, while the prosecution of another batch of insurgents would commence soon.
There have been concerns that terrorists, who surrendered to troops and undergone de-radicalisation programmes organised by the military were allegedly being absorbed into the military.
Some media reports have also alleged that the military was recycling insurgency by the alleged recruitment.
But a statement issued by Defence Headquarters said the military was not recycling insurgency. It said there was no plan to absorb de-radicalised insurgents into the military.
Defence Headquarters Spokesman, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said there was no plan to recruit ex-Boko Haran fighters into the military.
“No Boko Haram ex-fighter has been recruited into the Nigerian military and no such plan is in the offing.
“The de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration program is a federal government programme conducted under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor as a non- kinetic operation.
“Nigeria’s de-radicalisation model is a very effective one, targeted at low risk combatants and has become a classical example in the Lake Chad Basin Region and West Africa”, he said.
He noted that “over 250 repentant insurgents who willingly abandoned their struggle and surrendered to federal troops have been de-radicalised, rehabilitated and re-integrated into the society by their respective state governments in conjunction with traditional and religious institutions.
“Nigeria’s de-radicalisation model is therefore not new in the global community, as such model exists in Algeria, Colombia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where persons involved in violent extremism have been de-radicalised and rehabilitated. This process is therefore an internationally acceptable practice now”.
DHQ said there were no adverse reports from communities where the repentant and de-radicalised terrorists were resettled.
“So far in Nigeria, the de-radicalised ex-fighters are doing well in their respective communities, as no adverse report has been recorded against the repentant ex-fighters by Operation Safe Corridor’s monitoring unit.
“There has not been report of molestation or harassment of any sort against them by members of the communities, where they are resettled. As a matter of verifiable fact, the reintegrated ex-fighters are doing well in their various endeavours and are positively impacting on their respective communities”, it said.
On the prosecution of captured ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters, Nwachukwu said “the federal government of Nigeria has continued to prosecute BHT/ISWAP suspects in courts of competent jurisdiction and over 500 terrorists have so far been convicted. Meanwhile, the next round of prosecution of another batch of terrorism suspects is due to commence shortly”.
He said the misleading reports on the alleged recruitment constituted outright aberration of extant recruitment procedures and practice of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Defence Headquarters, restated its commitment to ensuring a well-motivated, trained and equipped Armed Forces that is professionally responsive to national security commitments.
