No fewer than 744 repentant terrorists and victims of violent extremism have successfully completed the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme under Operation Safe Corridor.
The graduates, who finished their training on Thursday in Gombe, include individuals from various Nigerian states and several foreign nationals.
A state-by-state breakdown shows the largest number, 597 from Borno State, followed by 58 from Yobe, with smaller numbers from Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano and other states.
Among them are eight foreign nationals from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.Of the total, 733 are Muslims while 11 are Christians.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, described the programme as a strategic tool rather than a reward for violence.
Represented by Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, he emphasised that while military operations remain essential, long-term peace requires addressing the human factors behind insurgency.
“This is not a reward but a deliberate strategy to reduce violence, weaken extremist recruitment and promote long-term stability,” Oluyede said.
He urged the graduates to use this second chance responsibly, warning them against returning to violence and calling on communities and state governments to support their reintegration.
Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali, explained that participants underwent comprehensive training in psychosocial support, vocational skills, religious reorientation, civic education and behavioural change.
He noted that many had been coerced or abducted into extremism, and the programme aims to help them rebuild their lives as productive citizens.
Gombe State Governor Muhammad Yahaya, represented at the event, described the graduation as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to peace-building.
He charged the ex-combatants to become law-abiding contributors to society.Operation Safe Corridor combines kinetic military efforts with non-kinetic approaches to counter insurgency, particularly in the North-East.
The latest batch of graduates highlights the government’s ongoing push to reduce recidivism and promote sustainable peace through rehabilitation and community reintegration.
This development comes as Nigeria continues to refine its multi-agency strategy against violent extremism.
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