The United States Government says it is assisting Nigeria in rehabilitating repentant terrorists as part of a broader joint Nigeria and US strategy to counter violent extremism.

The US Embassy to Nigeria said this in response to an email by Saturday PUNCH on Friday.

It said it was assisting Nigeria through the International Organisation for Migration.

The email read in part, “The US government assists the Government of Nigeria’s Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme through the International Organisation for Migration – which supports Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor programme to carry out DDRR of repentant and eligible ex-combatants who were formerly affiliated with a terrorist organisation.”


It said the 601 repentant terrorists who recently graduated from Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State had not yet been re-integrated into society.

The US said the repentant terrorists would be reintegrated in batches in the near future.

The email further read, “According to our understanding, 601 individuals who were formerly affiliated with a terrorist organisation recently graduated from Operation Safe Corridor last month following successful completion of the de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme in Gombe Camp.


“We understand that these men have not been released to communities yet and are still awaiting transfer to a rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri. They are to be transferred in batches in the very near future.

“The United States has supported Nigeria’s efforts toward effective disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration of former affiliates as an important element of the broader joint Nigerian and US strategy to counter violent extremism.”

A large section of Nigerians had condemned the plan of the Federal Government to reintegrate repentant terrorists into society while millions of victims of terrorism remain displaced. The Borno State Commissioner for Information, Babakura Jatau, had told Sunday PUNCH in July that only about 10 per cent of the repentant terrorists were actually fighters while the rest were either children or accomplices.


US still selling weapons to Nigeria despite rights abuse –Amnesty

Meanwhile, rights group, Amnesty International, says the US Government has continued to sell weapons to Nigeria despite the rights abuses being perpetrated by the Nigerian military.

The Deputy Director for Advocacy and Government Relations for Amnesty International USA, Adotei Akwei, said this in an email interview with The PUNCH.

In January 2019, Akwei had written a letter to the foreign relations committees in the US Congress calling for the implementation of the Leahy Law in Nigeria due to the high number of human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.


The Leahy Law is an American human rights law that prohibits the US Department of State and Department of Defence from providing military assistance to foreign security force units that violate human rights with impunity.

However, Akwei told The PUNCH that one year after Amnesty wrote the letter, the US authorities had continued to sell weapons to Nigeria in contravention of the Leahy Law.

He said the government of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had failed to address human rights violations.


Responding to a question, he said, “The short answer is no, we have not seen the Buhari government implement any form of credible accountability for human rights violations committed by the Nigerian security forces since we sent our letter and we have not seen the USG (US Government) take the necessary action of enforcing the Leahy Law in response to the continued impunity being enjoyed by the Nigerian security forces.”

Akwei had in a letter signed on behalf of Amnesty said the Nigerian military was fond of attacking unarmed civilians.

https://punchng.com/why-were-helping-nigeria-rehabilitate-repentant-terrorists-us/

this space is booked for righteousness89

The same way they are rehabilitating Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in 4 life imprisoment with extra additional 50years abi...
This people must be joking.

Many of us are disappointed with this revelation.

US that will never negotiate with terrorist is helping Nigerian government to rehabilitate it's terrorist.....


Something is wrong somewhere.... Probably understudying them and info about ISIS from them as well......

Omo I fo
I thought these mofos don't negotiate with terrorists
Then now I confirm the whites and western world really hate us

Is US of A mad?
The United States of America never negotiate with terrorists..

Why are they rehabilitating our terrorists?? Our own oo, not their own

US of A and double life

Pimpmaride:
Is US of A mad?

The United States of America never negotiate with terrorists..


Why are they rehabilitating our terrorists??
Our own oo, not their own

Ignorance. US negotiates with terrorists

You can't blame them,they are only working for their money.

The US is the most wicked country in the whole world.

They're so evil that they will even be acting like they're the kindest.

Meanwhile if it's Iran that did that now, they'll find every way to label them as the most evil.

USA is as mad as Nigeria on this one

Lalastic.lala Mynd44 US of A

And this same USA government are not concerned about the IDP people...

Nigeria and America are...

Can this really be true? How many terrorists have the US deradicalized & rehabilitated on its soil? Why is the US still running Guantanamo Bay even against all the opposition from the UN and other world bodies given the alleged atrocities going on therein? So why are they helping to rehabilitate terrorists in Nigeria? More questions than answers.

The United States Government says it is assisting Nigeria in rehabilitating repentant terrorists as part of a broader joint Nigeria and US strategy to counter violent extremism.


counter productive. what happened to DETERRENCE?

BOMBSHELL!

And there goes their endless negative propaganda - as though there is no such thing as amnesty, and their Blodas in the creeks did not benefit from same.

Oya, all una Bigots, e done do; Amelica done talk - how market?

Waiting for America to clarify this news cos Nigerian media outlets are Masters of fake news including punch.ng

yanabasee1:
US that will never negotiate with terrorist is helping Nigerian government to rehabilitate it's terrorist.....


Something is wrong somewhere.... Probably understudying them and info about ISIS from them as well......

That's the lie they have been selling to you. US have a long history of negotiating with terrorists