Thousands of Boko Haram terrorists surrender

from AHMED OBAFEMI in Maiduguri, Nigeria
MAIDUGURI, (CAJ News) – MORE than 2 200 militants have quit the Boko Haram terror group and accepted a rehabilitation programme by the Chadian government.

The individuals have quit the Islamist group and endorsed the Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) programme.

DDRR encourages the surrender of terrorists and offers them amnesty.

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Chad this past weekend organised a national workshop on the harmonisation of the reception, screening and profiling process for persons associated with Boko Haram.

It was held with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Counter Terrorism-Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).

“DDRR (Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation) is crucial for Chad,” said the Chad Minister of Justice, Djimet Arabi.

Chad, Africa’s fifth biggest country by area, suffered its first attack by the Boko Haram in 2015.

The insurgents have carried out attacks mostly in Nigeria.

Cameroon and Niger have also experienced attacks by the group in its quest to establish an Islamic state.

Boko Haram’s presence in the Lake Chad region is attributable to factors such as isolation, poor development and poverty.

– CAJ News