Repentant terrorists accused of serious crimes will still be prosecuted – FG

The Federal Government has launched new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme for repentant terrorists, while stressing that those accused of serious crimes will still be prosecuted.

The procedures were unveiled on Monday during a national validation workshop in Abuja. They are expected to improve transparency, accountability and coordination in the implementation of the DDR programme. The workshop also approved state-level SOPs for Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara.

National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Adamu Laka, said the guidelines were developed after wide consultations and were based on Nigeria’s experience, international best practice and the country’s security realities.

He explained that the SOPs would clearly define the responsibilities of government institutions, strengthen cooperation among agencies, standardise operations and ensure that the programme respects human rights and the rule of law.

Laka said military operations alone could not bring lasting peace, describing the DDR programme as an important part of Nigeria’s non-military strategy to tackle insecurity.

He said consultations across the six geopolitical zones showed strong support for a nationally coordinated and community-driven DDR framework. According to him, participants identified terrorism, violent extremism, banditry, communal violence, farmer-herder clashes, organised crime and separatist violence as major security threats requiring coordinated action.

Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the NCTC, Abimbola Wońosikou, said the SOPs were designed to create a more coordinated national response to terrorism and other forms of armed violence.

She said state DDR committees had already been established in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara to oversee implementation, with members drawn from state governments, security agencies, justice institutions, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth groups, civil society organisations and technical institutions.

Wońosikou said the procedures cover institutional responsibilities, case management, information sharing, human rights protections, community engagement, monitoring and coordination.

She, however, made it clear that the programme would not shield criminals from justice, saying, “Those accused of serious crimes would still face prosecution through the appropriate legal processes.”

She also called for better public communication to address misinformation about the programme.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations’ DDR Section, Mario Nascimento praised Nigeria’s efforts, saying the country’s approach now focuses not only on former fighters but also on strengthening communities.

“No individual can be successfully reintegrated in isolation,” he said.

Nascimento said lasting peace depends on the active involvement of communities, civil society, local authorities and the private sector.