Boko Haram ex-fighters into the Nigerian military.
In a press release signed by the Director Defence Information, Brigadier
Onyema Nwachukwu, the military says the claims are not only bereft of
the truth, but laced with mediocrity emanating from poorly researched
and uninformed positions.
He adds that no Boko Haram ex-fighter has been recruited into the
Nigerian military and no such plan is in the offing.
The de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration program
Brigadier -general Nwachukwu further stated is a Federal Government
program conducted under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor as a
non-kinetic operation targeted at low-risk combatants and has become a
classical example in the Lake Chad Basin region and West Africa.
He concluded that over 250 repentant insurgents who willingly abandoned
their struggle and surrendered to federal troops have been
de-radicalized, rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society by their
respective state governments in conjunction with traditional and
religious institutions.
Below is the full statement as published by the Defence Headquarters
NIGERIAN MILITARY NOT RECRUITING BOKO HARAM EX FIGHTERS
The Defence Headquarters has been notified of false information peddled
in some online media, insinuating that deradicalized Boko Haram ex-
fighters are being absorbed into the Nigerian military. One of such
insinuations is contained in a trending video footage published by Roots
TV, where one Balhatu Musa Ezekiel claimed the Nigeria Army had
recruited de-redicalized Boko Haram Ex-fighters into the Army and was
therefore recycling insurgency.
The Defence Headquarters wishes to unambiguously state that Balhatu’s
claims are not only bereft of truth, but laced with mediocrity emanating
from poorly researched and uninformed position.
Contrary to his claims , no Boko Haram ex- fighter has been recruited
into the Nigerian military and no such plan is in the offing.
The de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration program is a
Federal Government program conducted under the auspices of Operation
Safe Corridor as a non- kinetic operation.
Nigeria’s De-radicalization 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.
Over 250 repentant insurgents who willingly abandoned their struggle and
surrendered to federal troops have been de-radicalized, rehabilitated
and re-integrated into the society by their respective state governments
in conjunction with traditional and religious institutions.
Nigeria’s De-radicalization 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-radicalized and rehabilitated . This process is therefore an
internationally acceptable practice now.
So far in Nigeria, the de-radicalized ex-fighters are doing well in
their respective communities, as no adverse report has been recorded
against the de-radicalized 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 is also expedient to state, that 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.
Members of the public are therefore enjoined to please discountenance
the misinformation and misguided views peddled by Balhatu Musa Ezekiel,
as it constitutes outright aberration of extant recruitment procedures
and practice of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Defence Headquarters reiterates its commitment to ensuring a well
motivated, trained and equipped Armed Forces that is professionally
responsive to national security commitments.
Please disseminate this information through your news medium.
Thank you for your cooperation.