Irabor: 500 Boko Haram members now in jail — some for 60 years

Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff, says more than 500 Boko Haram members have been jailed since the operation Safe Corridor started. 

The military in 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members.

The aim of the operation, the military said, is to reintegrate repentant Boko Haram members  into society. More than 500 ex-Boko Haram members have already completed the programme. 

While speaking at a conference tagged “The North-East Symposium on Reintegration, Reconciliation and Resettlement,” on Monday, Irabor, who was represented by Bamidele Ashafa, said over 1,000 of the insurgents have been prosecuted. 

He said some of those jailed were sentenced to 60 years. 

“The federal government of Nigeria does not condone Boko Haram. Over 1,000 Boko Haram members have been prosecuted. I want to use this opportunity to say that over 500 have been jailed and are serving various jail terms for up to 60 years, the minimum term is five years,” he said. 

“Arrangements are also being concluded to begin the trial of another set of Boko Haram suspects. That will start between now and June.”

The rehabilitation initiative has been met with criticism. 

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, had said the repentant Boko Haram members end up as spies for the insurgents. 

Some residents of Borno kicked against the reintegration of ”repentant” Boko Haram members into their communities, asking the federal government to take them to Aso Rock. 

Soldiers at the war front in the north-east had also expressed disappointment over the release of ”repentant” Boko Haram members.