Abuja: Nigeria on Monday inched closer to adopting a national Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) framework, with a renewed focus on victims, communities and former survivors of violent extremism. The National Coordinator, National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this at a national validation workshop in Abuja to harmonise months of stakeholder consultations held across the six geopolitical zones.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Laka, represented by the Director of Intelligence, Brig.-Gen. Peter Gbor, said the proposed policy was designed to break recurring cycles of conflict and rebuild trust among affected populations. He described the framework as ‘one of Nigeria’s most people-centred peacebuilding tools in recent years’. The framework aims to manage ex-combatants and restore dignity to victims, supporting communities to heal, and offering those willing to renounce violence a structured pathway to return to society. Victims’ protection, community consent and accountability remain non-negotiable pillars of the proposed national programme.
The Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) at NCTC, Amb. Mairo Abbas, emphasized that reintegration cannot succeed without genuine community participation. She stated that the document was the outcome of extensive engagements with victims, traditional rulers, women’s groups, youth organisations, security agencies and community-based groups. Communities expressed the need for safety, fairness, and a process that protects victims while offering repentant individuals a genuine chance to start afresh. Abbas highlighted that social healing is as important as security, and reintegration must protect the vulnerable, especially women and children, while strengthening local resilience to prevent re-recruitment.
Head of Administration, African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre (AUCTC), Dr Usman Hussain, described Nigeria’s model as a strong continental example, noting that DDR processes remain critical for stabilising communities emerging from violent conflict. He said the AU would continue to support Nigeria with technical expertise, training and exposure to regional best practices. Emphasizing the importance of Nigeria’s inclusive approach, he noted that a well-designed DDR process reduces communal tension, prevents revenge attacks, and restores social cohesion.
Similarly, the Team Lead of the UK-supported SPRiNG Programme, Dr Ukoha Ukiwo, said the UK Government was proud to support Nigeria in developing what he called ‘a future-shaping peacebuilding instrument’. He stated that global experience has shown that peace becomes sustainable when individuals are given credible alternatives to violence. The SPRiNG programme worked closely with the NCTC and other Nigerian stakeholders over the past year, supporting consultations that shaped the emerging framework. Ukiwo expressed satisfaction in seeing Nigerians defining the path forward, as this builds national ownership.