Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) has engaged strategic security stakeholders in the South-East on the harmonisation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) framework to make it holistic, people-centred, and sustainable.
Speaking at the engagement in Enugu on Tuesday, the National Coordinator of NCTC under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, said insecurity undermines national stability, socio-economic growth, and social cohesion.
The two-day engagement was organised by the ONSA through the NCTC, in collaboration with the Government of the United Kingdom’s Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme.
Represented by Amb. Mairo Abbas, Director of Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism at NCTC, Laka said the nation must break the cycle of violence by creating viable alternatives for individuals and communities affected by conflict and criminality.
According to him, the DDR approach is internationally recognised as a comprehensive strategy for breaking cycles of violence by offering structured and sustainable exit pathways for individuals involved in armed or criminal groups.
He explained that DDR helps participants transition from combatant identities to productive civilian lives, adding:
“DDR is not merely about disarming people or dismantling armed groups. It is about offering hope — hope of healing from trauma, hope of dignity through economic empowerment, and hope of justice through accountability and reconciliation, particularly for victims.”
Laka noted that for too long, responses to violent conflict in Nigeria had been fragmented, reactive, and limited in scope.
“While different states and actors have developed local initiatives — some with success, others with limited impact — the absence of a unified, strategic, and nationally aligned framework has resulted in unsustainable responses,” he added.
The Chairman of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), Chief Emeka Atuma, commended NCTC for the initiative, saying peace was a prerequisite for sustainable and inclusive development in the region.
Represented by the Executive Director (Projects) of SEDC, Chief Toby Okechukwu, Atuma said the commission was developing a robust youth skills engagement programme to revitalise the zone’s productive capacity.
The Chairman of the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, lamented the human and financial losses the zone had suffered due to violent conflicts and the Monday sit-at-home order.
Iweka, who spoke on behalf of the traditional institution, urged the Federal Government to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to help the region distinguish between genuine Biafra agitators and criminal elements.
Similarly, the Secretary-General of the National Youth Council, Chief Rikki Nwajiofor, said insecurity and violent conflict in the zone escalated after Kanu’s incarceration.
Nwajiofor, who also serves as Speaker of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Parliament, commended NCTC for the DDR initiative and reiterated calls for Kanu’s release, describing his detention as a “push factor” for violent conflict in the South-East.
Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, Executive Director of the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR), Enugu, advocated a holistic and equitable approach to the DDR framework.
Speaking on behalf of civil society organisations, Ononamadu said:
“Each zone should be treated fairly according to its peculiarities. We appreciate the NCTC for developing a DDR framework that incorporates the input of the people.”
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, outlined the Army’s efforts to curb the activities of separatist groups and criminals in the South-East through both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
Represented by Brig.-Gen. Solomon Julius, Commander of the Division’s Signals Corps, Olatoye pledged the Army’s cooperation with NCTC to realise the objectives of the DDR framework.
Dr. Paul Nyulaku, DDR Technical Adviser for the National DDR Framework and Strategy Development Project, stressed the importance of regional input, noting that “every region must define its peace.”
He said the DDR framework aims to aggregate contributions from critical stakeholders across the country in formulating a national plan of action for peace and reintegration.
