FG Unveils Standard Operating Procedures to Strengthen DDR Programme
The Federal Government has developed a comprehensive set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide the implementation of Nigeria’s Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to terrorism, violent extremism and other forms of armed conflict.
The National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Monday during 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, held in Abuja.
Laka said the SOPs were designed to operationalise the National DDR Framework by providing clear implementation guidelines for relevant institutions while promoting transparency, accountability and inter-agency collaboration.
He explained that the procedures were developed through extensive consultations, drawing on Nigeria’s experiences, international best practices and the country’s unique security realities.
According to him, the SOPs clearly define institutional mandates and responsibilities, strengthen coordination among implementing agencies, standardise operational processes and ensure that DDR programmes are implemented professionally in compliance with human rights principles and the rule of law.
Laka described the DDR programme as a critical component of Nigeria’s non-kinetic strategy for addressing insecurity, noting that while military operations remain essential in dismantling terrorist and criminal networks, sustainable peace requires credible pathways for eligible individuals to abandon violence and reintegrate safely into society.
He added that consultations conducted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones demonstrated broad support for a nationally coordinated, locally owned and human rights-based DDR framework capable of responding to the country’s evolving security challenges.
The NCTC coordinator identified terrorism, violent extremism, armed banditry, communal conflicts, farmer-herder clashes, organised crime and separatist violence as key threats requiring coordinated national responses.
Laka described the validation workshop as a significant milestone toward institutionalising a transparent and coordinated DDR architecture nationwide, stressing that the inclusion of state-specific SOPs for Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara reflects the unique security dynamics in the pilot states.
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Also speaking, the Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the NCTC, Ambassador Abimbola Wońosikou, said the SOPs were developed to provide a unified national framework for responding to terrorism, violent extremism, banditry and other forms of armed violence.
She noted that although rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives already exist across different parts of the country, an integrated framework was necessary to ensure consistency, coordination and effectiveness.
Wońosikou said the draft National DDR Framework and Strategy, along with the accompanying SOPs, were prepared by a multidisciplinary team of experts and presented for validation after extensive stakeholder engagement.
She disclosed that the NCTC has established State DDR Committees in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara to coordinate programme implementation at the sub-national level.
According to her, 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.
She explained that the SOPs provide detailed guidance on institutional responsibilities, referral mechanisms, case management procedures, information-sharing protocols, human rights safeguards, community engagement strategies, monitoring and evaluation systems, and coordination structures.
Wońosikou described the validation exercise as another major milestone in Nigeria’s DDR journey, saying it demonstrates the country’s commitment to building a nationally owned, transparent and accountable reintegration system capable of promoting sustainable peace, reducing recidivism, strengthening community resilience and enhancing long-term national stability.
She emphasised, however, that while the DDR programme offers eligible individuals an opportunity to disengage from violence and reintegrate into society, those responsible for serious criminal offences would continue to face prosecution in accordance with the law.
The NCTC director also called for a coordinated public communication strategy to counter misinformation and improve public understanding of the DDR programme as a key component of Nigeria’s broader peace and security agenda.
Representing the United Nations Peace Support Office’s DDR Section, Mario Nascimento commended the Federal Government for developing a framework that reflects the changing nature of armed conflict in Nigeria.
Nascimento observed that Nigeria’s approach has evolved beyond focusing solely on former combatants to embracing broader community-centred initiatives that promote resilience and shared responsibility for peace.
He stressed that successful reintegration cannot occur in isolation, noting that sustainable DDR programmes require the active participation of host communities, civil society organisations, local authorities and the private sector.
By PRNigeria
