In a significant step toward national security and peacebuilding, the Nigerian military has confirmed that 789 former terrorist combatants are currently undergoing rehabilitation under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) programme of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC).
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Sayo Olatunde, shared this update during the OPSC Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday. He stated that the programme was launched in response to the mass surrender of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, facilitated by coordinated military operations.
“Since the inception of the programme, more than 120,000 insurgents and their families have surrendered. Currently, 789 ex-combatants are undergoing rehabilitation and are expected to graduate within the year,” Musa noted.
The meeting also focused on strategies for reintegrating 391 rehabilitated individuals, marking the first batch of the current phase. “Today’s discussion is centered on ensuring a structured reintegration process for the first of two batches, comprising 391 individuals, back into their respective states,” he added.
Gen. Musa commended stakeholders for their commitment to national security but emphasized that more work is required to achieve sustainable peace. He called on state governments to actively support the reintegration process by fostering collaboration between local and traditional authorities to monitor the reintegrated individuals.
“All stakeholders must be fully engaged in this reintegration process to build resilience. The success of this initiative is crucial for lasting peace and security in our country,” he stressed.
Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, Commander of Operation Safe Corridor, elaborated on the structure of the programme, describing it as a multi-agency humanitarian initiative operating in accordance with Nigeria’s constitution and international laws.
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“The programme, which commenced in 2016, has successfully rehabilitated 2,190 individuals, including 2,163 Nigerians and 27 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger,” he revealed.
Between July and November 2024, 825 individuals were transferred to the DRR camp to begin rehabilitation, including 14 foreigners from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Additionally, 22 individuals were referred to the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri for further medical evaluation and treatment.
The meeting aimed to finalize plans for the smooth reintegration of the current batch of rehabilitated individuals into national and state structures, with graduation scheduled for March.
