Director General of the agency, Alhaji Sani Sidi, who made this disclosure at the opening of a two-day public hearing in the National Assembly on North-East Development Commission (NEDC) Bill, said the repentant Boko Haram insurgents were undertaking trainings in vocational skills under the supervision of the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, in the ‘Safe Corridor initiative’ programme, specifically designed to reposition the insurgents.
“It is not correct that the Federal Government does not have a plan for repentant sect members. The federal government has set up the safe corridor programme. I do know that over 800 sect members have been registered in it.
“They have exited the Boko Haram through the programme in line with the International best practice. They are currently receiving various skills acquisitions programme, which is being handled by the military. It’s being by the Chief of Defence Staff,” he said.
Furthermore Sidi said a return to formal education, sustainable agriculture, paternalism, infrastructural reconstruction, environmental protection and remediation should be the focus of the North-east Development Commission.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako, said if backed by a legal framework, the commission would be empowered to address the challenges in the North-east posed by the insurgency.
The committee promised to pass the bill on May 25.
