By Muhammad Mamman
– At least 117 former fighters have completed the federal government’s de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) in northeastern Borno State, the Nigerian military has announced.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, said the development was disclosed by the OPSC Coordinator, Y. Ali, during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by Defence Headquarters in collaboration with the OPSC leadership.
The meeting was held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja.
Operation Safe Corridor is a federal initiative designed to encourage low-risk and repentant members of armed groups operating in Nigeria’s northeast to renounce violence and undergo structured rehabilitation before being reintegrated into society.
According to the military, the programme combines psychological counselling, vocational training, religious re-orientation and civic education aimed at deradicalising participants and equipping them with skills for lawful livelihoods.
The latest batch of 117 graduates marks another phase in the government’s broader counter-insurgency strategy, which seeks not only to weaken armed groups militarily but also to address the ideological and socio-economic factors driving recruitment.
Borno State, the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, has witnessed years of violence that have displaced millions and strained local communities. Authorities say sustained collaboration between security agencies, state governments and community leaders remains critical to ensuring successful reintegration and preventing recidivism.
While the programme has drawn praise from some quarters as a pragmatic approach to ending the conflict, it has also faced scrutiny from victims’ groups demanding justice and assurances that participants pose no further threat.
Officials, however, maintain that strict screening processes are applied before admission into the initiative, and that community sensitisation efforts are ongoing to ease reintegration.
The military did not disclose when the graduates would be formally reintegrated into their respective communities but reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to restore lasting peace in the region.
