Borno Seeks NISS Support To Deradicalise Repentant Terrorists

Borno State government has called on faculty members and participants of Course 16, National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Abuja to lend their helping hands in the ongoing Deradicalization and Reintegration (DDR) of over 80,000 surrendered Boko Haram members who are mostly camped at  designated centres in Maiduguri.

The call was made yesterday when the Deputy Commandant of NISS, Mr. David Egbeji led staff and the participants to a courtesy call on the Chairman of DDR and Deputy Governor of Borno State, Dr. Umar Kadafur at his office, Government House, Maiduguri, the state capital.

Kadafur said, since inception on 29th May, 2019, the present administration under the leadership of Professor Zulum had invested huge resources on managing the over a decade insecurity posed by terrorists, which according to him, the commitment and synergy displaced by the military, other security agencies, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders led to the relative peace currently enjoyed across the state.

In addition, the deputy governor said, millions of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) have been relocated to their ancestral homes, with scores of Boko Haram members, including their families and those forcefully conscripted, laying down their arms and surrendering to troops.

Kadafur however said, what is needed now is for all and sundry including members of the NISS to key into the state government’s DDR, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Process for sustainable development.

“On behalf of my principal, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, I welcome you to Borno State, the ‘Home of Peace’. I understand that you are here for a Study Tour, which is a welcome development, knowing fully well that Borno has suffered a lot in the hands of terrorists for over a decade.

“As a responsible government, we call on you to please lay your helping hands in the ongoing Deradicalization and Reintegration (DDR) of over 80,000 surrendered Boko Haram members who are mostly camped at designated centres in Maiduguri.

“Since we came on Board, precisely on 29th May, 2019, the present administration under the good leadership of Professor Zulum has invested huge resources on managing the over decades of insecurity posed by the terrorists.

“I want to inform you that the commitment and synergy displaced by the present administration with support from the military, other security agencies, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, Non-Governmental organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders led to the relative peace currently enjoyed across the state.

Earlier, the deputy commandant of the institution, Mr David Egbeji informed the deputy governor that participants who are undergoing 10-month security course at the institution were drawn from military, para-military, regulatory agencies, MDAs and other four African countries including Rwanda, Gambia, Chad and Niger Republic.

Egbeji pointed out that the course is intended to equip participants with requisite knowledge to address dynamic and complex security challenges in their respective countries and foster inter-agency cooperation to ensure adequate security.