In Gombe State, 390 former Boko Haram fighters have successfully completed a federal rehabilitation and de-radicalisation program and are now being prepared for reintegration into society.
The graduation took place at the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) camp in Malam Sidi, within the Kwami Local Government Area. General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, represented by Major General Sunday Makollo, commended the achievements of the program and reiterated the military’s dedication to restoring peace and stability in the nation.
“These individuals arrived at the camp in July 2024 and have since undergone multiple phases of personal development,” stated General Musa. “We anticipate they will return to their communities as peace ambassadors, bearing in mind the oath they have taken and their renewed commitment to Nigeria.”
Colonel Abiodun Johnson, the camp commandant, noted that the group consists of 384 Nigerians and six foreign nationals. He detailed the participants’ origins, specifying that Borno State had the largest representation with 218 individuals, while others came from regions including Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, as well as southern states like Akwa Ibom and Oyo.
Throughout their six-month program, participants received psychological support, vocational training, religious and civic education, along with basic literacy and health lessons.
The DRR initiative, launched under Operation Safe Corridor, is part of a wider strategy in Nigeria aimed at decreasing violence through non-military methods, offering a pathway back to normalcy for those who have renounced insurgency.
Although the program has been commended for providing a fresh start for those who leave the path of terrorism, it still faces criticism from communities grappling with the lingering effects of years of violence.
