The federal government has launched a set of standard
operating procedures (SOPs) to guide the implementation of its disarmament,
demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programme for repentant terrorists.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the national validation
workshop on the SOPs for DDR, Adamu Laka, national coordinator of the National
Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the office of the national security
adviser (ONSA), said the procedures would promote transparency, accountability
and coordination of repentant terrorists.
The workshop also validated state-level SOPs for the pilot
states of Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara.
Laka said the procedures were developed after extensive
consultations and drew from Nigeria’s experience, international best practices
and the country’s security realities.
“Recognising that a policy framework alone is insufficient
to guide implementation, the National Counter Terrorism Centre and its partners
subsequently developed a comprehensive set of standard operating procedures to
translate the strategic objectives of the national DDR framework into practical
guidance for implementing institutions,” he said.
He added that the SOPs would clarify institutional
responsibilities, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, standardise
operational processes and ensure that DDR programmes comply with human rights
principles and the rule of law.
Laka described the DDR as a key element of Nigeria’s
non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity, noting that military operations
alone cannot deliver lasting peace.
“These standard operating procedures have been developed
through extensive consultations and draw upon national experiences,
international best practices, and the unique realities of the Nigerian
context,” he added.
“They are intended to clarify institutional mandates and
responsibilities, strengthen inter-agency coordination, standardise operational
procedures, and ensure that DDR programmes are implemented professionally,
effectively, and in full compliance with human rights principles and the rule
of law.”
According to him, consultations held across the six
geopolitical zones showed broad support for a nationally coordinated, locally
owned and human rights-based DDR framework.
He added that participants identified terrorism, violent
extremism, armed banditry, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, organised
crime and separatist violence as evolving threats requiring coordinated
responses.
Laka described the validation workshop as a significant step
towards institutionalising a transparent and coordinated DDR architecture
nationwide.
“The inclusion of state-specific standard operating
procedures is particularly significant. These states continue to face distinct
and evolving security challenges that require locally driven and
well-coordinated responses,” he added.
‘THOSE ACCUSED OF SERIOUS CRIMES WILL BE PROSECUTED’
Abimbola Wońosikou, director of preventing and countering
violent extremism at the NCTC, said the SOPs were developed to provide a
coordinated national response to terrorism, violent extremism, banditry and
other forms of armed violence.
Wońosikou said an integrated framework was needed to improve
coordination and standardisation despite the existence of rehabilitation and
reintegration initiatives across the country.
“These efforts culminated in the development of the draft
national DDR framework and strategy, and subsequently, the standard operating
procedures, which have been prepared by a multidisciplinary team of experts and
are before us today for review and validation,” she said.
She said the NCTC had established state DDR committees in
Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara to coordinate implementation at the sub-national
level.
According to her, the committees include representatives of state governments, security agencies, justice institutions, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth groups, civil society organisations (CSOs) and technical institutions.
She added that the SOPs outline institutional
responsibilities, referral pathways, case management procedures,
information-sharing protocols, human rights safeguards, community engagement
mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as coordination
structures.
“The validation of these SOPs represents another significant
milestone in Nigeria’s DDR journey. It demonstrates the country’s commitment to
building a nationally owned, coordinated and accountable DDR system capable of
supporting sustainable peace, preventing recidivism, strengthening community
resilience and contributing to long-term national stability,” she said.
Wońosikou added that while the programme offers eligible
individuals a pathway to abandon violence and reintegrate into society, those
accused of serious crimes would still to face prosecution through the
appropriate legal processes.
She also called for a coordinated communication strategy to
counter misinformation and improve public understanding of the DDR programme.
Mario Nascimento, speaking on behalf of the UN department of
peace operations’ DDR section, now under the UN peace support office, commended
the federal government for developing a framework that reflects the changing
nature of armed conflict in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria’s approach has shifted from focusing solely
on former combatants to strengthening community resilience and promoting
collective responsibility for peace.
“No individual can be successfully reintegrated in isolation,” Nascimento said, adding that sustainable DDR requires the active participation of communities, civil society, local authorities and the private sector.
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