The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, disclosed that from 2016 to 2022, a total of 1,935 former members of Boko Haram underwent a process of deradicalization and were reintegrated into Nigerian society.
Rear Admiral Daupreye Matthew, Director of Training at the Defence Headquarters, represented the CDS during a lecture on “Non-Kinetic Operations and the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
This revelation was made at a national security course organized by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja.
The course, focused on “Psychological Operations and Strategic Communication (PSYOPS),” aimed at addressing the theme of “Winning Hearts and Minds for National Cohesion and Development.”
General Musa emphasized the military’s commitment to non-kinetic approaches in tackling security challenges and clarified that the Operation Safe Corridor, a non-kinetic effort, played a significant role.
He highlighted that this approach led to the surrender of over 2,000 members of Boko Haram between 2016 and 2017.
Notably, 67% of those who surrendered belonged to the Abubakar Shekau faction of the insurgents.
The CDS stated that 1,543 repentant terrorists graduated from the Mallam Sidi Camp in Gombe State, while 1,935 were released from the Bulumkutu camp in Borno within the specified period.
Despite the success of non-kinetic efforts, General Musa made it clear that there were no plans to abandon this approach in addressing insecurity challenges.
The information underscores the importance of psychological operations and strategic communication in the broader strategy of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
