FG graduates 744 under Operation Safe Corridor

By Chuks Oyema-Aziken

The Federal Government has graduated 744 low-risk individuals and victims of violent extremism who completed a six-month de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor.

The ceremony took place on April 16, 2026, at the DRR Camp, OPSC Mallam Sidi in Gombe State.

Launched in 2016, the programme is aimed at reintegrating individuals who have disengaged from insurgent groups back into society.
Of the 744 graduates, 597 are from Borno State and 58 from Yobe. Others include 10 from Adamawa, 12 from Bauchi, 15 from Kano, three from Ebonyi, one each from Enugu and Akwa Ibom, five from Kogi, two each from Plateau, Sokoto and Niger, and four from Nasarawa State.

The batch also includes eight foreign nationals—one each from Burkina Faso and Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from Niger Republic. In terms of religion, 733 are Muslims while 11 are Christians.

Speaking at the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, said the initiative should not be seen as a reward for violence but as a strategic approach to restoring peace and stability.

Represented by Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, he described the programme as part of efforts to address the root causes of extremism, noting that military operations alone cannot guarantee lasting peace.

He emphasised that Operation Safe Corridor is not an amnesty programme but a complementary strategy aimed at reducing recidivism, weakening extremist ideologies and promoting long-term stability.

Oluyede urged the graduates to embrace peace and make meaningful contributions to society, stressing that they have been given a second chance which must not be squandered.

He also called for the support of communities and stakeholders, noting that acceptance, monitoring and reintegration are critical to sustaining the gains of the programme.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, said the initiative was introduced as a strategic response to insurgency, providing a structured pathway for disengagement and rehabilitation.

He explained that participants underwent psychosocial support, vocational training, religious reorientation, civic education and behavioural transformation aimed at rebuilding their lives.

Ali noted that many of the beneficiaries were victims of coercion, including abduction and forced recruitment, adding that the programme offers them an opportunity to rebuild their identities and pursue a peaceful future.

He urged state governments, community leaders and families to support the reintegration process to ensure its success.

Also speaking, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, cautioned the graduates not to betray the trust placed in them, urging them to become responsible and law-abiding citizens.

Represented by his SSA on Security Matters and Intergovernmental Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Musa, the governor described the programme as a fresh start and encouraged beneficiaries to contribute positively to their communities.

In his remarks, the Commandant of the DRR Camp, Colonel Mohammed Danjuma Bello, said over 3,000 individuals have been processed under the initiative since 2016.

He noted that participants received medical care, psychological support, education and vocational training, alongside confidence-building measures and an oath of allegiance to prepare them for reintegration.

A representative of the British High Commission, Annup Vyas, commended the programme as a Nigerian-led initiative supported by international partners, including the United Kingdom.

He said the true test of the programme lies in how beneficiaries apply the skills acquired, reaffirming continued UK support for efforts aimed at promoting stability and long-term security.

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