FG develops standard procedures for disarmament, reintegration operations

The Federal Government has established a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide its Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) program. This initiative aims to bolster Nigeria's response to terrorism, violent extremism, and other armed conflicts.

Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser, announced this on Monday in Abuja. He spoke at a National Validation Workshop on the SOPs for federal and pilot states Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara. Laka explained that the SOPs translate the strategic goals of the National DDR Framework into practical guidance for implementing institutions, ensuring transparency, accountability, and coordination.

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Recognizing 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.

"Recognizing 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," Laka stated. He emphasized that the procedures were developed through extensive consultations, incorporating national experiences, international best practices, and Nigeria's specific security realities.

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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.

The SOPs are designed to clarify institutional mandates and responsibilities, enhance inter-agency coordination, standardize operational processes, and ensure DDR programs adhere to human rights principles and the rule of law. "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," Laka added.

Laka stressed that DDR is a crucial component of Nigeria's non-kinetic strategy for addressing insecurity. While acknowledging the necessity of kinetic operations against terrorist and criminal groups, he asserted that sustainable peace requires credible pathways for individuals to abandon violence and reintegrate into society. Regional consultations indicated widespread support for this approach.

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While kinetic operations remain indispensable in degrading terrorist and criminal networks, lasting peace can only be achieved when complemented by credible pathways that facilitate the transition of eligible individuals away from violence and support their safe reintegration into society.