The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor says no fewer than 51,828 Bokoharam members have surrendered to the Nigerian Government between July 2021 and May 2022.
Irabor disclosed at the 7th Founders’Day Ceremony of the Edo University Uzairue, Edo, on Friday.
“A total of 1,543 repentant terrorists have so far graduated from Mallam Sidi camp between 2016 and 2022, while 1,935 have been released from the camp in Bulumkutu.
“It is worth stating that from July 2021 to May 4 2022 alone, no fewer that 51,828 Boko haram and their family members have surrendered, out of which 13,360 are fighters” Irabor said.
Irabor while delivering a paper titled “National Defence Policy and the Transitional Justice Approach in the War Against Insurgency in Nigeria” said in any counter insurgency, transitional justice plays a key role in healing wounds.
“Presently Nigeria has been faced with Boko haram insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country since July 2019, it is noteworthy however, that the military has recorded many successes with the terrorists being decimated and dislodged from their strongholds.
“I will want to modestly acknowledge that the military successes against Boko haram terrorists resulted in the mass surrending of their fighters and families.
“The need to handle the social issues associated with the mass surrending necessitated the employment of the Transitional Justice Approach by the establishment of Operation Safe Corridor in September 2015.
“The arrangement provides for the demobilisation, deradicalisation, reorientation and vocational training of repentant and surrendered Boko haram fighters as well as their eventual reintegration back into the society”, he said.
The chief of defence staff noted that despite the modest sucesses of operation safe corridor, the programne still faced a lot of challenges bedeviling the programme.
“While we can say that the operation safe corridor have recorded some successes, some challenges are hindering the achievement of the full objectives of the programme this include the lack of specialised training experts and inadequate physical structure.
“Others are inadequate collaboration and coordination, absence of appropriate legislation on reintegration, low agency and international participation as well as ineffective monitoring system.
“A way forward in addressing the challenges associated with operation safe corridor as an approach in transitional justice in the war against insurgency is therefore necessary.
“The way forward encompasses the ways and means through which the objectives would be accomplished.
“This include train-the-trainers programme and establishment of special fund for DRR, establishment of a national commission for DRR, enacting of a DRR Act, building of strategic partnerships and adoption of a whole-of-society approach to monitoring,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor said Gen. Irabor was choosen to speak at the institution 7th founders’ day ceremony for the university community on the role of the Nigerian Army in tackling insurgency in the country.
“Over the years we have had the opportunity to invite Nigerians who occupy high positions in the society to speak to the university community on their achievements and how they have contributed their quota to the development of Nigeria and humanity.
“The lectures over the years have gradually shape the outlook of Edo University Uzairue founders’ day ceremony, both town and gown look forward to this ceremony where important issues of Nigeria can be harness into a country of our collective brains are delivered.
“This achievement of the founders’ day ceremony were made possible by the Edo State Government who by establishing the university in 2016 with the mandate to provide level playing ground for sound scholarship for national development.
“This indeed is the core principle of the founders’ day ceremony,” Aluyor said.
The vice chancellor thanked the chief of defence staff for honouring the invitation to deliver institution’s 7th founders’ day ceremony.
“I want to use this opportunity to specially thank him for accepting to deliver this year lecture and for finding time to come down.
“It is our believe, sir that after the lecture you will find time to take a brief tour of our university because the beauty of our university is not just the architectural master piece, but in the content of facilities available for teaching and research.
“I am convinced that after your tour, you will be one of our ambassador of our dear university,” he said.
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