Daily Trust reports that over 800 repentant Boko Haram members have been registered in a programme tagged, “Safe Corridor initiative.” They are currently undergoing vocational skills training under the supervision of the office of the Chief of Defence Staff. This was disclosed by Alhaji Sani Sidi, the director general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), during the public hearing of a bill on the establishment of North East Development Commission (NEDC).
According to him, the programme was initiated to provide a leeway for repentant members of the sect to turn a new leaf. He said:
“It is not correct that the federal government does not have a plan for repentant sect members. The Federal government has set up the safe corridor programme. I do know that over 800 sect members have been registered in it. They have exited the Boko Haram through the programme in line with the international best practice. They are currently receiving various skills acquisitions programme, which is being handled by the military.”
Sidi noted that the key focal areas of the North East Development Commission should be restoration of the formal education, sustainable agriculture, paternalism, infrastructural reconstruction, environmental protection and remediation. Also speaking, Bukola Saraki, the Senate president said the north eastern region, Christians and Muslims alike, young and old, men and women, have suffered pervasive brutality and destruction, meted out against them by activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.
He said:
“In an orgy of un-abating and indiscriminate attacks on the Nigerian state and its circularity, they employed everything destructive to threaten our national security and socio-economic stability; maiming, bombing, attacking every institution that would help us remain a virile and united nation.”
“What we have witnessed in the North East demands special attention from all well meaning Nigerians, not just from government. We must all rise up and say never again. We have seen families wiped out, children orphaned, incomes plunged below a tenth of what they were a decade ago.”
Recall that in April, the federal government established the programme in furtherance of its efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate surrendered and repentant Boko Haram terrorist members into the society.
The Defence Headquatres called on other recalcitrant terrorist members that are still carrying arms against their fellow citizens to repent and benefit from numerous opportunities offered by the programme. The DHQ said those who are not willing to repent should be ready to face the consequences in an impending mop-up military operation.