A former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), has dismissed claims that repentant Boko Haram members are being recruited into the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Irabor stated this on Monday while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stressing that such claims were unfounded and impossible under the Nigerian military recruitment structure.
“It has always been a burden for me where we got this impression from. How can they be recruited? This does not exist,” he said.
The retired general, who formerly served as Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, Chief of Defence Training and Operations, and later as CDS, said his experience across these roles makes the claim unbelievable.
“Before I became CDS, I was Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole. From there, I crossed over to become Force Commander, Multinational Joint Taskforce. When I left, I became Chief of Defence Training and Operations… Then I became Theatre Commander again before being appointed CDS. How could it be? Where people got that impression, I cannot tell,” he said.
Irabor added that the basic recruitment process into the military requires strict vetting and clearance from applicants’ local governments, making it impossible for former terrorists to be absorbed into the service.
“It is impossible. Besides, you can’t come into the military if those in your local government have not actually sanctioned you,” he said.
He clarified that the government’s deradicalisation initiative, Operation Safe Corridor, is responsible for rehabilitating and reintegrating low-risk former Boko Haram members into civilian society — not into the armed forces.
While admitting that gaps remain in addressing insecurity, Irabor said the challenges are not due to failures on the part of security agencies but are tied to manpower, equipment and evolving security dynamics.
The Federal Government has in recent years expanded its deradicalisation and reintegration efforts for surrendered insurgents under Operation Safe Corridor, focusing on community reintegration rather than military enlistment.
