Federal Government has rehabilitated 744 former insurgents and victims of violent extremism, including eight foreign nationals, under its De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme, Operation Safe Corridor.
The foreign nationals include one each from Burkina Faso and Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from Niger Republic, while the remaining 736 beneficiaries are Nigerians.
The programme, established in 2016, is part of a broader strategy to address insurgency through non-kinetic measures, recognising that sustainable peace cannot be achieved through military force alone.
A breakdown of the Nigerian participants shows that Borno State recorded the highest number with 597 beneficiaries, followed by Yobe (58), Kano (15), Bauchi (12), and Adamawa (10).
Others were drawn from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and Sokoto states. Of the total graduates, 733 are Muslims and 11 are Christians.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Gombe, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, described Operation Safe Corridor as a strategic intervention aimed at reducing violence and preventing the spread of extremist ideologies.
Represented by Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, Director of Special Operations Forces at Defence Headquarters, the defence chief stressed that the initiative is not a reward for wrongdoing but a deliberate effort to address the root causes of insurgency and promote long-term stability.
He noted that while military operations remain essential in combating terrorism, rehabilitation and reintegration remain critical to achieving lasting peace.
Coordinator of the programme, Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Ali, said the beneficiaries underwent comprehensive training, including psychosocial support, vocational skills, religious reorientation, civic education and behavioural transformation.
He explained that many of the participants were victims of coercion and manipulation, adding that the programme provides them with an opportunity to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, represented by Yusuf Musa, SSA on Security Matters and Intergovernmental Affairs, urged the graduates to embrace the opportunity as a new beginning and contribute positively to national development.
He added that the initiative reflects Nigeria’s commitment to combining military and non-military strategies to tackle insurgency and promote sustainable peace.
