The North-East Rebuilding Movement (NERM), an advocacy group, has hailed on-going non-kinetic approach of the Armed Forces of Nigeria toward addressing the security challenges in the region.
The convener of the group, Ibrahim Goni, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Goni said the recent report that no fewer than 1,935 repentant Boko Haram terrorists had so far been deradicalised and reintegrated between 2016 and 2022, was commendable.
He quoted the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa as saying that “67 per cent of those who surrendered were of the Abubakar Shekau faction of the insurgents.”
The convener added that reports had revealed that the non-kinetic efforts of the military resulted in 51,828 terrorists and their family members surrendering, comprising 13,360 fighters between July 2021 and May 2022.
According to him, the non-kinetic approach is working, “and we call on the terrorists to embrace it for their own good.
“The success of the ongoing military operations is an indicator that the armed forces under Gen. Musa will respond appropriately to unrepentant terrorists who neglected the option of laying down arms.
“For socio-economic development to find place in the North-East, peace and stability must reign.
“We have confidence that the military under Gen. Musa is equal to the task and will respond appropriately to unrepentant terrorists who continue to deny our region peace.
“The North-East Rebuilding Movement salute personnel of the AFN on their sacrifices for our region and the entire country.” (NAN)
By Sumaila Ogbaje
