Federal Government develops standard procedures for disarmament, reintegration operations
via Punch Nigeria4 min read
The Federal Government has developed Standard Operating Procedures SOPs for its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration DDR programme to enhance Nigeria’s response to terrorism and armed conflict. Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre NCTC, Office of the National Security Adviser, announced this at a validation workshop in Abuja for the federal level and pilot states of Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara. The SOPs translate the National DDR Framework’s strategic objectives into practical guidance, ensuring transparency, accountability, and coordination. Developed through extensive consultations, they draw from national experiences, international best practices, and Nigeria’s security realities. The procedures clarify institutional mandates, strengthen inter-agency coordination, standardize operational processes, and ensure DDR programmes align with human rights principles and the rule of law. Laka emphasized DDR as a critical non-kinetic strategy for addressing insecurity, complementing military operations by providing pathways for individuals to abandon violence and reintegrate into society. Regional consultations showed support for a nationally coordinated, locally owned, human rights-based DDR framework responsive to community needs. Amb. Abimbola Wońosikou, Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the NCTC, stated the SOPs provide a coordinated national response to threats like terrorism and banditry, integra
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