By Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad
The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), H.E Silas Ali Agara, has pledged to partner with the
Operation Safe Corridor, an arm of the Nigerian Army, to provide useful skills and training to repentant insurgents in the country.
This partnership aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate former Boko Haram militants and bandits into society.
The NDE DG stated this when he played host to the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor at his office today in Abuja.
Agara emphasized that repentant insurgents deserve a chance to acquire new skills and denounce their old lives, thereby reintegrating into society properly.
To achieve this, he said the NDE has put together various skills training programs, including ICT skills and innovative solutions to address unemployment challenges that may lead to criminality.
“Our organization is open to partnership with the Nigerian Army to enable you to succeed in the task of making society safe from criminal elements through job creation and training,” Agara stated.
He commended the new Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali, for his proactive steps since assuming office in January, which have made a significant difference in their activities.
Earlier, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali had sought the partnership of the NDE to enable Operation Safe Corridor to succeed in its assignment.
Operation Safe Corridor is a Nigerian Army program aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating former Boko Haram militants into society.
The program’s primary functions include:
*Deradicalization*: Providing counseling and education to former militants to change their extremist beliefs and ideologies.
*Rehabilitation*: Offering vocational training, education, and psychological support to help former militants acquire new skills and reintegrate into society.
*Reintegration*: Assisting former militants in returning to their communities and reintegrating with their families and society.
*Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR)*: Implementing the United Nations’ DDR approach to manage the transition of former militants from armed groups to civilian life.
*Community Reconciliation*: Fostering reconciliation between former militants and their communities through mediation, counseling, and community engagement.
