The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has provided starter packs to 601 repentant Boko Haram members released into the society after undergoing six months de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme at a camp in Gombe State.
Head of Corporate Services of NEDC Malam Abba Musa presented the items at the graduation ceremony of the batch four of the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme for the repentant insurgents.
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He said the items distributed included 130 welding machines, 20 carpentry tools, 111 barbing kits, and power generators, 105 sewing machines, 95 leather works, and shoe-making equipment, among others.
Musa, who represented the managing director of the commission, Mohammed Goni Alkali, said the aim of the empowerment tools was to support the repentant Boko Haram members to be self-reliant when released into the society after going through the DRR programme.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the items for the purposes they were meant, to be employed and employers of labour after returning to their respective communities.
In his address, Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, commended the repentant terrorists for embracing peace in order to contribute to the development of society.
