THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has revealed that 800 ex-Boko Haram fighters who surrendered to the military are currently undergoing deradicalisation as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.
The Chief of Defence, Operations, Maj.-Gen. Emeka Onumajuru, disclosed this today during an interview.
He stated that while approximately 129,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families have been taken into custody, only 800 were carefully selected for rehabilitation under Operation Safe Corridor.
According to him, the deradicalisation process, managed by professionals, lasts about a year and is deemed sufficient for their reintegration.
Clarifying the process, Maj.-Gen. Onumajuru noted that surrendered fighters are subjected to legal scrutiny, with those found culpable facing justice, while others undergo rehabilitation.
He emphasized that both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies are essential to winning the asymmetric war against insurgency in Nigeria.
