Photos from the graduation ceremony of 601 deradicalised Boko Haram combatants

The graduation ceremony for Batch 4/2019 deradicalized former Boko Haram combatants took place at the Operation Safe Corridor Mallam Sidi in Gombe state today Saturday, July 25.

The former insurgents, all 601 in number, completed a de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration program organized by Operation Safe Corridor and denounced their membership of the insurgent group at the Malam Sidi Camp in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State on Monday, July 13. 

The Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Major General Bamidele Shafa said that out of the 601 graduands that arrived at the camp on 27 November and 14 December 2019, 592 are Nigerians from 10 states of the federation while 14 are foreign Nationals from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Shafa added that out of this number, three died of health complications while one was referred for further medical treatment at the Neuro-psychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri.

“On arrival at the camp, the clients went through documentation processes to obtain vital background information after which they were subjected to comprehensive medical screening to determine their health status

Their DNA samples were also collected while their biometrics were captured on National Data using the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC) facilities for future references. The background information serves as guide for the experts; Local Treatment Team (LTT) to properly place the clients for treatment therapies and vocational training. The LTT are specialised experts in various fields of deradicalisation and rehabilitation therapies drawn from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS),” he said

See more photos from the graduation ceremony below.