About 156 repentant and surrendered members of the Boko Haram on Wednesday swore allegiance to the Nigerian government after undergoing a De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDR) programme, coded Operation Safe Corridor.
The repentant fighters mostly took the oath of allegiance before Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi of the Federal High Court, Gombe at the DDR rehabilitation camp in Gombe.
The former Boko Haram members dropped their weapons and surrendered to the Nigerian Army, after which they were enlisted into the de-radicalisation programme of the federal government.
During the 11 months of the de-radicalisation, the repentant fighters received vocational skills training by respective government agencies.
The Commandant of the DDR camp, Colonel Gurama Martins, said majority of the repentant members of the sect were victims of circumstances who were forced into the war.
He said after spending 11 months at the DDR camp, the army are satisfied that the ex-fighters are transformed and ready to be integrated back into the society in their respective states.
The Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa, who witnessed the oath of allegiance, appealed to members of the public to accept them when they are finally release from the camp.
He called on the former Boko Haram members to have confidence in the country, practice any of the trades they learnt at the camp and live as normal citizens of the country.
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