The Federal Government has taken a significant step toward addressing Nigeria's growing security challenges by unveiling a comprehensive set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide the implementation of its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme.

The initiative is designed to strengthen the country's non-military approach to tackling terrorism, violent extremism, armed banditry and other forms of conflict by providing eligible individuals with structured pathways to abandon violence and successfully reintegrate into society.

The development was announced on Monday in Abuja by the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser, Major General Adamu Laka, during the National Validation Workshop on the SOPs for the DDR programme at both the federal level and in the pilot states of Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara.

According to Laka, the newly developed SOPs transform the objectives of the National DDR Framework into practical guidelines that will ensure transparency, accountability, professionalism and effective coordination among all institutions responsible for implementing the programme.

He explained that the procedures were formulated after extensive consultations involving key stakeholders and were informed by Nigeria's security realities, lessons from previous national experiences and internationally recognised best practices.

The framework clearly outlines the responsibilities of participating institutions, strengthens inter-agency collaboration, standardises operational procedures and ensures that all DDR activities comply with human rights principles and the rule of law.

Laka emphasised that while military operations remain crucial in dismantling terrorist and criminal networks, sustainable peace requires complementary non-kinetic strategies that encourage those willing to renounce violence to safely return to civilian life.

He noted that consultations conducted across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones revealed overwhelming support for a nationally coordinated, community-driven and human rights-based DDR system capable of responding to evolving security threats such as terrorism, violent extremism, banditry, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, organised crime and separatist violence.

The validation workshop also marked an important milestone in institutionalising a transparent and coordinated DDR architecture across Nigeria, with special attention given to the pilot states of Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara due to their unique security challenges.

Speaking at the event, the Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the NCTC, Ambassador Abimbola Wońosikou, said the SOPs were created to harmonise existing rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives under one coordinated national framework.

She disclosed that State DDR Committees have already been established in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara to oversee implementation at the sub-national level. These committees include representatives from state governments, security agencies, the judiciary, traditional and religious institutions, women's and youth organisations, civil society groups and technical experts.

According to Wońosikou, the SOPs provide detailed guidance on institutional responsibilities, case management, referral systems, information sharing, community engagement, monitoring and evaluation, coordination mechanisms and safeguards for protecting human rights.

She clarified that while the DDR programme provides rehabilitation opportunities for eligible individuals willing to abandon violence, those found responsible for serious criminal offences will continue to face prosecution in accordance with Nigerian law.

Wońosikou also stressed the importance of a coordinated public communication strategy to combat misinformation and improve public understanding of the programme's objectives.

Representing the United Nations Peace Support Office, Mario Nascimento commended Nigeria for adopting a modern DDR framework that reflects the country's changing security landscape.

He noted that Nigeria's approach now extends beyond rehabilitating former combatants to strengthening community resilience and promoting shared responsibility for sustainable peace.

Nascimento emphasised that successful reintegration cannot occur in isolation but requires the active participation of host communities, civil society organisations, local authorities and the private sector.

The new Standard Operating Procedures are expected to serve as the operational backbone of Nigeria's DDR programme, reinforcing the Federal Government's commitment to reducing violence, preventing the return of former combatants to armed groups, strengthening community resilience and promoting long-term national peace and stability.