EU allocates N20bn to rehabilitate captured Boko Haram members

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FILE PHOTO: Two arrested Boko Haram suspects
The European Union (EU) said on Monday in Abuja that it had allocated 67 million euro (about 20 billion naira) for the rehabilitation and re-integration of captured Boko Haram members.
Mr Richard Young, the Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Nigeria, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), after the launch of Nigeria’s “De-radicalisation Programme Guide.”
The Guide was prepared under the European Union Technical Assistance to Nigeria’s Evolving Security Challenges and launched by the National Security Adviser (NSA),retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno.
Young explained that the allocation was part of EU’s support to Nigeria in the country’s efforts to address the challenge of insurgency in the North East geo-political zone.
“I will call what EU is spending on this project substantial amount of money, it is millions. I will say it’s about 67 million euro.
“This is the amount that has been allocated. But this covers all the different aspects and support to the country’s violent extremism programme.
“So it goes beyond just the de-radicalisation programme,” he said.
Young said that the programme had been at a pilot stage, adding that it would be owned by the Federal Government afterwards.
“It’s designed to crystalyse certain thinking and thought; it will come to an end soon, but it is being continued with finance from the Nigerian government.
“We are also at the same time, discussing or just initiated discussions with the Nigerian Government about what form of support we might provide in this area,” he said.
The EU official explained that the programme was significant because it was one of the strategic responses to the Boko Haram insurgency.
“We all know that Nigeria faces insurgency in the North East of the country and there are different responses to that insurgency.
“There is military response, there is the intelligence response, there is the …Read More

Source:: PM Newspaper