By Adejola Adeyemi Crown
A former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), has dismissed claims that repentant Boko Haram members are being absorbed into the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Irabor said such recruitment is impossible under Nigeria’s military structure. “It has always been a burden for me where we got this impression from. How can they be recruited? This does not exist,” he stated.
The retired general, who once served as Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole and later as CDS, explained that his experience at the highest levels of military command makes the claims unbelievable.
“Before I became CDS, I was Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole. From there, I crossed over to become Force Commander, Multinational Aid on Taskforce. When I left, I became Chief of Defence Training and Operations, overseeing all that. And then I became Theatre Commander and later got appointed as CDS, a position I spent two and a half years in. How could it be? Where people got that impression, I cannot tell.”
Irabor added that basic military recruitment requires clearance from one’s local government, making it impossible for ex-terrorists to slip through. “It is impossible. Besides, you can’t come into the military if those in your local government have not actually sanctioned you,” he said.
He clarified that Operation Safe Corridor is responsible for deradicalising low-risk Boko Haram detainees and reintegrating them into civilian life, not the armed forces.
While acknowledging shortcomings in tackling insecurity nationwide, Irabor rejected the notion that these challenges stem from failures by security agencies. He noted that manpower, equipment, and a better understanding of security dynamics remain crucial to strengthening the fight against insurgency.
In recent years, the Federal Government has intensified efforts to reintegrate former Boko Haram fighters through Operation Safe Corridor, a programme for low-risk ex-combatants who voluntarily surrender.
