By Michael Olugbode
The Nigerian military yesterday said no hardcore Boko Haram insurgent has been reintegrated into the society.
Speaking at a-one day capacity building workshop organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) for National Orientation Agency (NOA) and community leaders on Peace Building and Reconciliation, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Maj. Gen. Bamidele Shaffa, said till date, no fewer than 500 members of the Boko Haram terrorists have been tried and sentenced to various jail terms by the federal government.
He noted that till date, 914 repentant Boko Haram terrorists have passed the Operation Safe Corridor, and reintegrated to the society, but none of them have been an extremist or hardcore Boko Haram member.
Shaffa said all the reintegrated Boko Haram members were well documented and are monitored every time and could be rearrested if they relapsed.
He said the military has a responsibility to key into the determination of the government to see that peace return to Borno State, adding that the state Governor, Babagana Zulum, has also been working for the return of peace to the state as he has been going round in search of peace.
Shaffa said the federal government is highly committed to the return of peace in the North-east region, noting that the military is working tirelessly to see that peace returns and everyone is returned to their homeland.
He said: “We have 914 repentant Boko Haram terrorists that have passed the Operation Safe Corridor and are well documented. The federal government has tried over 500 Boko Haram members and sentenced them to various prison terms.
“The Operation Safe Corridor is basically for those who were conscripted and joined for economic hardship and not for those extremists.
“No one of the repentant Boko Haram terrorists who have passed through the “ Operation Safe Corridor is returned without the involvement of the community leaders. We traced the family of returnees, and we equally made to them to visit them in our camp.
“Tomorrow (Tuesday), a delegation from Yobe State led by the state Commissioner of Women Affairs will visit Gombe camp to talk to this group of people.”
He said the military has the mechanism in place with partners to monitor those that have been released, adding that they are handed over to the state and the local government authorities as well as the community.
In his remarks, Senior Research Fellow CDD, Prof Mala Mustapha, said the training would prepare Ulamas to use transitional justice to address atrocities and human rights violations perpetrated in the context of the Boko Haram insurgency in North-east region
Mustapha said: “The programme will engage community leaders who we considered as critical stakeholders in peace building and reconciliation. We believe that the community leaders and NOA will take the message of peace to these communities.”
