FG reintegrates 254 ex-Boko Haram members, 3 foreigners – Army

No fewer than 254 surrendered and repented Boko Haram sect members were reintegrated by the Federal Government.

Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Shafa, Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, announced the development during a town hall meeting and dialogue with Boko Haram affected communities on Saturday in Yola.

The meeting was organised by the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was designed for the reconciliation and reintegration of repented Boko Haram members from most affected three states, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

Shafa recalled that majority of the repented youths of Boko Haram were victims of circumstances.

“So far, the Operation Safe Corridor had treated no fewer than 254 repented Boko Haram members.

“Out of this number, 95 were already handed over to their respective states,” Shafa said.

He explained that the remaining 157 reintegrated members would soon be dispatched, with Adamawa having three; Yobe seven and Borno 143.

He said that among the reintegrated were three foreign national from Chad Republic.

According to the coordinator, the operation Safe Corridor is in collaboration with PCNI and National Directorate for Employment where they given tools and other small business entrepreneur equipment for the reintegrated members.

The chairman also provided some funds to the ex-combatants for take off businesses after training in various skills acquisition.

Among the skills acquired by the ex-combatants include vocational, tailoring, carpentry and shoemaking.

He solicited the support of the affected communities in the reintegration of the youth.

Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, the chairman PCNI, said that the initiative was in collaboration with various government and non-governmental authorities towards rehabilitation, resettlement and reintegration in the region.

Danjuma, represented by Asma,u Joda, said the initiative had made gigantic efforts in assisting and restoring the economic development of the area.