The National Counter Terrorism Centre, under the Office of the National Security Advisor, has announced that at least 5,000 former Boko Haram fighters have completed a rehabilitation program and have been reunited with their families.
Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas, Head of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), shared this update during the second day of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum. She highlighted that none of the rehabilitated individuals had returned to the battlefield after completing the six-month deradicalization program.
Operation Safe Corridor and Reintegration Efforts
The deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration initiative, known as Operation Safe Corridor, has successfully reintegrated over 5,000 ex-combatants into society. According to Abbas, these individuals have been equipped with skills to sustain themselves within their communities.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with traditional and religious leaders across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, continues to monitor the reintegration process to ensure the program’s effectiveness.
The “Borno Model” and Regional Cooperation
Abbas also emphasized the success of the “Borno Model”, a state-led initiative aimed at reintegrating former extremists and complementing federal efforts to promote peace. She noted that the model, born out of necessity, has facilitated family reunifications and social acceptance of the rehabilitated individuals.
She urged governors and stakeholders in the Lake Chad region to harmonize their strategies to ensure a coordinated approach to reintegration efforts, fostering long-term stability in the region.
