De-radicalisation Programme: Army graduate 152 ex-Boko Haram members in Gombe State

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday graduated 152 ex-insurgents undergoing 12 months de-radicalisation training in Gombe State.

Col. Biyedi Martins the Coordinator of Operation save Corridor said the programme was a clear attestation to the Federal Government’s action against using combat in depleting the manpower of Boko Haram.

He said the programme would enhance the acceptance of the clients in the society having been subjected to several vocational pieces of training that would make them more useful and self-reliant.

“The Federal Government is using this programme to cut the abilities of the sect to recruit more members and also ensure defection into the programme by other insurgents.

“By the time this is achieved, the government will be able to reduce the numbers of free hands the sect recruits to fight it. “Based on the assessment, the programme has done a lot in reforming the fighters against the government.

“The programme has achieved more compared to other similar programmes in Somalia and Saudi Arabia, where de-radicalization programmes are being implemented.

There are no records of de-radicalized members going back to the sect,” he said. Martins said the government was employing other non-combat approaches to fight the insurgents.