The Federal Government has announced plans to establish a second Operation SAFE CORRIDOR Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) Camp in the North-West region. The initiative aims to encourage willing low-risk terrorists and bandits to surrender and reintegrate into society.
The first camp was set up in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State.
National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major-General Adamu Garba Laka, disclosed this while receiving a delegation from the Alliance de Sahel, which included representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The visit was part of a study tour of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism initiatives.
Laka highlighted that Nigeria’s deradicalization program started in the Nigerian Correctional Service in 2015 and has since expanded to other custodial centers. According to him, the program has successfully rehabilitated nearly 3,000 former combatants and will now be extended to the North-West.
“The program aims to deradicalize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate low-risk members of terrorist groups, helping them become productive citizens. The second Operation SAFE CORRIDOR DDR Camp will soon be operational in the North-West region,” Laka stated.
He emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating terrorism, noting that Nigeria collaborates with Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin under the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Multinational Joint Task Force.
Katsina Governor Rejects Negotiation with Terrorists
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has declared that his administration will not negotiate with terrorists but is open to reintegrating those who voluntarily surrender.
Speaking at a ₦50 million community empowerment program in Jibia Local Council, Radda clarified that the state would not seek out terrorists in the forests to initiate peace deals.
“We will not negotiate with terrorists. However, if they voluntarily surrender, renounce violence, and commit to becoming law-abiding citizens, we are willing to reintegrate them into society,” the governor stated.
He commended local stakeholders, including security agencies, for their ongoing efforts to combat insecurity.
The empowerment program, spearheaded by House of Assembly member Mustapha Yusuf, aims to support vulnerable citizens, particularly during Ramadan.
