By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
The Borno State government, under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on faculty members and participants of Course 16, National Institute for Security Studies, NISS, Abuja, to lay their helping hands on 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 participants on a courtesy call on the Chairman of DDR and Deputy Governor of Borno State, Dr. Umar Kadafur, in his office at the Government House, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Kadafur said that since inception on 29th May, 2019, the present administration, under the good leadership of Professor Zulum had invested huge resources on managing the over decade insecurity posed by terrorists, which according to him, the commitment and synergy displayed 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 being enjoyed across the state.
In addition, the Deputy Governor said that millions of internally displaced oersons, 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 surrendered to troops.
Kadafur however said, that 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.
He said, “On behalf of my principal, Professor 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 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 had invest huge resources on managing the over a decade 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 organizations, NGOs, and other stakeholders led to the relative peace currently enjoyed across the state.
“This is in addition to millions of our IDPs, who have been relocated to their ancestral homes, with scores of Boko Haram members, including their families and those forcefully conscripted laid down their arms and surrendered to troops.
“Your visit to Borno is timely, because what is needed now is for all and sundry including your faculty members and the participants/students to key into the state government’s DDR, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Process for sustainable development.”
He therefore assured the delegation of government’s continuous cooperation and collaboration with the institution so as to improve security situation in the state, and to also achieve their mission and purpose of the study tour.
Earlier in his address, the Deputy Commandant of the institution, Mr. David Egbeji, told 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.
He further said that the participants were in Borno to fulfil the requirement of interface with relevant stakeholders and have a firsthand information on the security situation in the state, in addition to planned visits to some other states of the federation on how best to document or proffer durable solutions.
The Deputy Commandant, while commending Governor Zulum and his deputy, Kadafur, for their doggedness and commitment in the fight against terrorists, and pledged that NISS will partner with the Borno State government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure peace is restored in Borno and the country as a whole.
