A total of 390 repentant Boko Haram members have successfully graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme in Gombe State.
The graduation ceremony, which took place on Friday, marked the conclusion of months of intensive transformative activities under the Operation Safe Corridor initiative.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, represented by Col. Sunday Makollo, stated that the programme—launched in July 2024—had provided the ex-combatants with psychological support, vocational training, and civic education, aimed at fostering peaceful reintegration into society.
He said the Federal Government’s non-kinetic approach was complementing ongoing military operations and yielding positive outcomes in the North-East.
“The military remains committed to ensuring peace and security in all parts of Nigeria,” Gen. Musa said. “These individuals have taken an oath of allegiance and are expected to return to their communities as agents of peace and national unity.”
According to officials, the graduating cohort comprises 384 Nigerians and six foreign nationals. Of the foreigners, two are from Cameroon and Chad respectively, while the remaining four are citizens of Niger Republic.
The DRR programme, under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is designed to support the government’s counter-insurgency strategy through the rehabilitation of surrendered insurgents.
The event also featured cultural displays and testimonies from beneficiaries, who pledged to embrace peace and contribute to rebuilding conflict-affected communities.
