FG Rehabilitates 744 Ex-Insurgents Set for Reintegration into Society

By Tgnews Reporter

The Federal Government has successfully rehabilitated 744 former insurgents and victims of violent extremism, including eight foreign nationals, under its flagship De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme, Operation Safe Corridor.

The beneficiaries, comprising 736 Nigerians and eight foreigners, completed vocational training and deradicalisation processes at a facility in Gombe State before their graduation on Thursday. The foreign nationals include one from Burkina Faso, one from Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from Niger Republic.

According to reports, the Nigerian beneficiaries hail from various states, with the highest numbers from Borno (597), Yobe (58), and Adamawa (10), among others. Many are described as repentant insurgents who surrendered and underwent months of skills acquisition in areas such as tailoring, agriculture, and other trades designed to equip them for productive reintegration into society.

The programme, coordinated through the military’s Operation Safe Corridor, aims to provide a humane and sustainable pathway out of insurgency by combining psychological support, ideological reorientation, and economic empowerment.

Officials have described the latest batch as a significant milestone in efforts to counter violent extremism in the Northeast and beyond.

Speaking on the development, stakeholders emphasised the importance of community acceptance and post-reintegration monitoring to ensure long-term success and prevent recidivism. The graduation ceremony was attended by key government officials, security agencies, and development partners.

This latest rehabilitation exercise underscores the Federal Government’s dual strategy of kinetic military operations alongside non-kinetic approaches to address the root causes of insurgency.

The DRR programme has previously graduated thousands of participants, many of whom have been supported with starter packs and community-based follow-up to aid their transition back into civilian life.

Further details on the specific support packages provided to the latest graduates are expected to be released by the relevant authorities in the coming days.