Mr Yunusa Ya’u, the Executive Director,
Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) speaking during a book launch in Gombe
By Peter Uwumarogie
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has commended the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme, urging the government to strengthen the approach for more successes.
The centre’s Executive Director, Yunusa Ya’u, stated this on Thursday in Gombe at a media presentation of his book titled: “Boko Haram: Community Perceptions of Dialogue and Reconciliation in Northern Nigeria,” jointly authored with Kawu Monguno.
Ya’u said the non-kinetic approach to fighting insurgency in the Northeast remained key to winning the war against Boko Haram insurgents.
According to him, the complexity encountered in combating terrorism and other related threats anywhere in the world has made it imperative to use non-military approach towards winning the war and peace-building.
He said the Federal Government’s DRR programme was good and necessary in the fight against insurgency but added that there was the need to make some modifications to make it work effectively.
“The DRR is good idea but the challenge with the DRR is that it was not done in full consultation with communities and that’s why the communities are rejecting rehabilitated ex-insurgents sent to them for reintegration.
“This constitute a big challenge because the success of the DRR rests on the willingness of the communities to accept the repentant ex-insurgents.”
Ya’u appealed to government to strengthen engagement with host communities on the reasons for reintegrating the de-radicalised ex-insurgents back to the communities.
He said understanding the reason and importance of DRR programme would help build the foundation for the success of the DRR programme.
He also urged governments at all levels to address transitional justice and the grudges that some communities had held against the ex-insurgents.
“How do you address the issues of my father, husband have been killed and I know the person who did it and such person has been rehabilitated and brought back to be re-integrated in our community.
“Now I have no jobs or means of livelihood and the person who is responsible has graduated from DRR camp, given economic support; that has created a big wedge to peace efforts in some communities and must be addressed.
“ The orientation of we who are victims, the government is not supporting us; the people who committed murder and are now being favoured must be addressed through proper engagements.”
The executive director advised government at all levels in affected states to put in measures to “cut the recruitment base of Boko Haram by addressing unemployment, poverty and hunger amongst youths.
Ya’u commended efforts by the military in recent times which he said had made it difficult for Boko Haram insurgents to carry out any major attacks.
He said there had been significant improvements in terms of the general environment as the military had been able to contain insurgency, especially leveraging on the internal fight within the Boko Haram movement to “score very important victories.
“Of recent, we have not seen the massive attacks that they used to carry out and that is because they have been contained by the military but not totally eliminated”.
He appealed to stakeholders in the communities and nation to support the government, adding that the task of peace-building was for all and not exclusive to the government.(NAN)
