FG Develops Standard Procedures for Disarmament, Reintegration Operations

The Federal Government has developed a set of Standard Operating Procedures to guide the implementation of its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration programme as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s response to terrorism, violent extremism and other forms of armed conflict.

The National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the National Validation Workshop on the Standard Operating Procedures for DDR at the federal level and in the pilot states of Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara.

Laka said the SOPs were designed to translate the strategic objectives of the National DDR Framework into practical guidance for implementing institutions, while ensuring transparency, accountability and coordination.

He said, “Recognising 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.”

According to him, the SOPs were developed through extensive consultations and drew from national experiences, international best practices and Nigeria’s unique security realities.

He explained that the procedures would clarify institutional mandates and responsibilities, strengthen inter-agency coordination, standardise operational processes and ensure that DDR programmes are implemented in line with human rights principles and the rule of law.

“These Standard Operating Procedures have been developed through extensive consultations and draw upon national experiences, international best practices, and the unique realities of the Nigerian context.

“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 said.

The NCTC coordinator stressed that disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration remained a critical component of Nigeria’s non-kinetic strategy for addressing insecurity.

While noting that military operations remained essential in degrading terrorist and criminal groups, he argued that sustainable peace could only be achieved through credible pathways that encourage eligible individuals to abandon violence and safely reintegrate into society.

“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,” he said.

Laka noted that regional consultations conducted across the six geopolitical zones revealed widespread support for a nationally coordinated DDR framework that is locally owned, human rights-based and responsive to the needs of affected communities.

He added that the consultations also highlighted Nigeria’s evolving security threats, including terrorism, violent extremism, armed banditry, communal conflicts, farmer-herder clashes, organised crime and separatist violence, all of which require coordinated responses.

The NCTC boss described the validation workshop as a major step towards institutionalising a transparent and coordinated DDR architecture across the country.

“The inclusion of state-specific Standard Operating Procedures is particularly significant. These states continue to face distinct and evolving security challenges that require locally driven and well-coordinated responses,” he added.

Also speaking, the Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the NCTC, Amb. Abimbola Wońosikou, said the SOPs were developed to provide a coordinated national response to the growing threats of terrorism, violent extremism, banditry and other forms of armed violence.

She explained that although rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives already existed in different parts of the country, there was a need for an integrated approach that would ensure standardisation and effectiveness.

“These efforts culminated in the development of the draft National DDR Framework and Strategy, and subsequently, the Standard Operating Procedures, which have been prepared by a multidisciplinary team of experts and are before us today for review and validation,” she said.

Wońosikou disclosed that the NCTC had established State DDR Committees beginning with Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara to coordinate implementation at the sub-national level.

She said the committees comprise representatives of state governments, security agencies, justice institutions, traditional and religious leaders, women and youth groups, civil society organisations and relevant technical institutions.

According to her, the SOPs define institutional roles, referral pathways, case management processes, information-sharing protocols, human rights safeguards, community engagement mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation arrangements, as well as coordination structures.

She added, “The validation of these SOPs represents another significant milestone in Nigeria’s DDR journey. It demonstrates the country’s commitment to building a nationally owned, coordinated and accountable DDR system capable of supporting sustainable peace, preventing recidivism, strengthening community resilience and contributing to long-term national stability.”

Wońosikou further stressed that while the DDR programme provides pathways for eligible individuals to disengage from violence and reintegrate into society, those responsible for serious crimes would continue to face prosecution through appropriate legal processes.

She called for a coordinated communication strategy to address misinformation and improve public understanding of the DDR programme as part of Nigeria’s broader peace and security strategy.

Speaking on behalf of the UN Department of Peace Operations’ DDR Section, now under the UN Peace Support Office, Mario Nascimento commended the Nigerian government for developing a framework that reflects the shifting nature of armed conflict in the country.

He noted that Nigeria’s approach had moved beyond programmes focused soalely on former combatants toward broader efforts that strengthen community resilience and promote shared responsibility for peace.

“No individual can be successfully reintegrated in isolation,” Nascimento said, stressing that sustainable DDR depends on the active participation of communities, civil society, local authorities and the private sector.