The Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja revealed that between 2016 and 2022, a total of 1,935 repentant Boko Haram terrorists underwent deradicalization and were reintegrated into Nigerian society after being released from the Bulumkutu camp in Borno State.
This information was shared by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, during a lecture on “Non-Kinetic Operations and the Nigerian Armed Forces” at a national security course on “Psychological Operations and Strategic Communication (PSYOPS)” organized by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja on Monday.
The programme was held with the theme, “Winning Hearts and Minds for National Cohesion and Development”.
The CDS, who was represented by Rear Admiral Daupreye Matthew, Director of Training, Defence Headquarters, asserted that the military had not contemplated scrapping the non-kinetic approach as part of the efforts being used to solve insecurity challenges.
He explained that the use of non-kinetic efforts under Operation Safe Corridor had led to the surrender of more than 2,000 Boko Haram members between 2016 and 2017.
According to him, 67 per cent of those who surrendered were of the Abubakar Shekau faction of the insurgents, adding that 1,543 repentant terrorists graduated from Mallam Sidi Camp in Gombe State and 1,935 were released from Bulumkutu camp in Borno between 2016 and 2022.
