Ex-CDS Explains Why It Is Impossible for Boko Haram, Bandits to Join Military
- Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor rejected claims that repentant Boko Haram members were being recruited into the military
- He explained that Nigeria’s strict recruitment process made such infiltration impossible
- The former CDS clarified that Operation Safe Corridor only handled deradicalisation and civilian reintegration
A former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), has firmly rejected claims that repentant Boko Haram members are being secretly recruited into the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the allegation as “impossible” under the country’s military structure.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, December 2, Irabor said the public misconception has no basis in reality.
Source: Twitter
“It has always been a burden for me where we got this impression from. How can they be recruited? This does not exist,” he said.
Claims of recruitment dismissed
Irabor, who previously served as Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, and later CDS, said his long years at the heart of counter-insurgency operations make such claims implausible, Vanguard reported.
“Before I became CDS, I was Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole. From there, I crossed over to become Force Commander, Multinational Joint Taskforce. When I left, I became Chief of Defence Training and Operations.
“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," he explained.
Recruitment process makes infiltration impossible
The retired general stressed that Nigeria’s military recruitment process requires rigorous background checks, making it impossible for former terrorists to be absorbed into the armed forces.
“It is impossible. Besides, you can’t come into the military if those in your local government have not actually sanctioned you,” he said.
Operation Safe Corridor clarified
Irabor clarified that Operation Safe Corridor, the government programme handling deradicalisation, is responsible for rehabilitating low-risk Boko Haram defectors and reintegrating them into civilian life, not into the military, Punch reported.
According to him, the programme has been widely misunderstood.
“Operation Safe Corridor deals with deradicalisation and reintegration. It is not a pathway into the armed forces,” he stated.
Security challenges not due to military failure
Source: UGC
While acknowledging lapses in the nation’s fight against insecurity, the former CDS insisted that such challenges should not be mistaken for incompetence on the part of security agencies.
He said improvements in manpower, equipment and strategic understanding remain key to enhancing security operations nationwide.
In recent years, the federal government has intensified efforts to deradicalise and reintegrate former Boko Haram fighters, particularly those considered low-risk and who voluntarily surrender.
Irabor’s comments come amid renewed public debate over Nigeria’s handling of repentant insurgents and persistent insecurity in the North-East.
Tinubu advised on how to tackle Boko Haram
Previously, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu has been urged to explore the outburst of the United States President Donald Trump against Nigeria to strengthen the security of the country.
Trump had threatened to launch a military operation in Nigeria, alleging a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
