No fewer than 559 repentant members of Boko Haram and Islamic West African Province were released by Operation Safe Corridor after undergoing de-radicalisation.
Among them are two Chadians engaged in various vocational trainings in carpentry, wedding, tailoring, barbing and laundry services.
Addressing them over the weekend, Commandant of OPSC, Colonel Uche Nnabuihe, explained that the graduation was a combination of regular Batch 5- 2021, special Batch 3-2021 and Sulhu Batch 4- 2021 sessions.
“Sixty-three persons indicated interest in barbing; 76 in shoemaking; 175 in welding; 167 trained in tailoring; 56 for carpentry and 22 went for laundry services,” he said.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Defence, Training and Operations, General Adeyemi Yekini, commended them for their decision to lay down arms against the country.
Irabor urged them to fulfill their promise, reminding them that going back to their old way of life may be resisted with mightier force.
He revealed that over 1,000 clients have been processed by OPSC between 2015 to date, out of which 984 including, 16 foreigners, were successfully reintegrated.
“I have no doubt that this non-kinetic strategy initiated by the Federal Government will continue to impact positively on military operations in the North East,” he added.
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