The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports claiming that repentant terrorists and bandits are being secretly recruited into the Nigerian military, describing the allegations as false and misleading.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier General Yusuf Alli, made it clear that the military has no such plans.
“We are not recruiting any killers into the army, and we can never do that,” he said.
He also addressed concerns that rehabilitated former insurgents might be returning to assist terrorist groups as informants. According to him, such fears are unfounded, as those individuals would face serious danger if they attempted to rejoin the groups.
“They cannot go back. The high-risk terrorists would see them as informants and eliminate them,” he explained.
Alli further clarified that Operation Safe Corridor is strictly a rehabilitation and reintegration programme, not a recruitment channel. He stressed that the Nigerian military maintains strict enlistment standards, which automatically disqualify anyone with a criminal record.
The programme, he said, involves a thorough screening process carried out by multiple agencies, including the Ministry of Justice. Surrendered individuals are classified into three groups: low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk.
Only those in the low-risk category—typically individuals who were forced or coerced into joining insurgent groups and have no serious offences—are admitted into the programme.
Participants receive support such as de-radicalisation, counselling, and vocational training in areas like tailoring, carpentry, and farming to help them reintegrate into society.
He emphasised that the initiative does not replace the justice system. Individuals identified as high-risk or directly involved in serious crimes are prosecuted and, if found guilty, face imprisonment.
“The system is clear: those who commit crimes are tried, while those considered victims are rehabilitated,” he said.
Also speaking on the issue, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, noted that repentant terrorists are not executed because they remain Nigerian citizens. He explained that the goal is to reduce violence by offering a pathway away from extremism for those willing to abandon it.
Authorities insist that the programme is designed to promote long-term peace and stability, not to compromise national security.
