President Bola Tinubu on Friday said more than 124,000 fighters and their dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.
Speaking in his national address to mark Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day — his fourth since taking office in 2023 — Tinubu said the administration has intensified military pressure on remaining insurgent and bandit networks while keeping “the door of surrender open.”
“We keep the door of surrender open. Over 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor,” he said.
Tinubu framed the surrender figure as evidence of a dual-track strategy that combines military operations with reintegration pathways for those willing to renounce violence. He also cited broader security gains under his administration’s “security reset,” including a record N5.41 trillion security budget for 2026 and the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers.
The president pointed to recent precision operations that, he said, degraded the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) command centre in Arege, Borno State, and led to the killing of senior commanders, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, in a joint Nigeria–US operation in May.
