Following the allegations that the federal government is sponsoring bandits by paying them, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied its involvement in paying bandits and terrorists monthly allowances or sending food to them in the name of a non-kinetic battle against insurgency.
The denial was made on Tuesday by the Chief of Defence Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, during an interview on Channels Television Sunrise Daily.
According to him, the Armed Forces of Nigeria do not support financial payment to bandits terrorising different states across the country, adding that experience has shown that such a method is not helpful.
Onumajuru, however, confirmed that the military has a Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process, which supports ex-combatants in transitioning from armed groups to civilian life after they lay down their weapons and go through profiling in detail.
He clarified that the DDR process, which is anchored around Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State and Zamfara State for the North-East and North-West regions, respectively, admits only those who are found not to be culpable in terrorism.
“The armed forces of Nigeria do not support the payment of money to criminal groups. The armed forces of Nigeria are not part of that arrangement.
“However, the armed forces of Nigeria have a DDR programme with other stakeholders, the Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the National Security Advisor for criminals that have shown remorse and want to toe the line for peace, to surrender their weapons, undergo a thorough profiling to ensure the extent of their culpability, and then they are transferred for the DDR programme.
“The essence of this national framework is for bandists who clearly want another route to leaving criminality. You surrender your weapons, and you are profiled in detail.
“Those who are found really culpable face the law. Now, this is coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. Don’t forget that some of the people were forcibly conscripted, kept in the bust for God knows why.
“Once it is decided that this set of people is not really culpable after a detailed profiling, they are transferred to the DDR centres in Gombe, and they start going through the DDR process,” he explained.
The clarification follows an allegation by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who claimed that the federal government and the Kaduna State government are involved in empowering bandits and terrorists by paying them monthly allowances and sending them food.
The claim had earlier been denied by the Kaduna State government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), respectively.
Speaking further on border security, General Onumajuru said that communities must feel a sense of belonging and responsibility to help strengthen Nigeria’s borders.
