A total of 744 former insurgents and victims of violent extremism officially graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) initiative on Thursday.

The ceremony, held at the Mallam Sidi camp in Gombe State, marks a significant milestone for Operation Safe Corridor, the multi-agency program designed to transition low-risk ex-combatants back into civilian life.

The graduating class consists of individuals from various states across Nigeria and neighboring West African countries.

According to official data, the majority of the graduate 597 in total originate from Borno State, with others hailing from Adamawa, Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, and Nasarawa. The cohort also includes eight foreign nationals from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Republic. Demographically, the group comprises 733 Muslims and 11 Christians.

During the graduation ceremony, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, emphasized that the initiative is a strategic military tool rather than a sign of leniency. Represented by Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, the CDS stated that while kinetic military force remains essential to defeating insurgency, sustainable peace requires addressing the human dimensions of the conflict. He noted that the DRR process weakens extremist groups by encouraging defections and reducing their available manpower.

Before their release, the former combatants took a formal oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pledging to be law-abiding citizens. Authorities clarified that the program is strictly for low-risk individuals who surrendered voluntarily and has no place for “hard-boiled” or ideologically hardened terrorists.

The graduates will now be handed over to their respective state governments and community leaders for final reintegration into society.