Military: Operation Safe Corridor is Structured Response to Counterterrorism in Nigeria

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The High Command of the Nigerian military has stated that Operation Safe Corridor is a national security strategy and forms part of a broader, structured response to counterterrorism in Nigeria.

The military emphasised that the programme serves as the operational arm of Nigeria’s non-kinetic counterterrorism strategy.

Addressing concerns that the programme may be perceived as lenient towards former insurgents, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, said: “I understand those concerns, especially from communities that have suffered deeply, and they are valid and must be acknowledged with empathy and responsibility. However, let me be very clear: Operation Safe Corridor is not about leniency; it is about national security strategy, and more importantly, it forms part of a broader, structured approach to counterterrorism in Nigeria.

“While the military continues to apply necessary kinetic pressure on terrorist and bandit groups, this programme provides a controlled and structured pathway to disengage individuals from violence, reduce the fighting strength of these groups, and ultimately weaken their operational capacity from within.”

General Ali explained that in every conflict there are different categories of individuals. “Not everyone within these groups is a hardened or ideologically committed combatant. A significant number, based on research and field experience, were coerced, abducted, manipulated, or forced into participation. Some were children at the time of recruitment, while others were caught in conflict dynamics with very limited choices. For such individuals, deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration are not merely security measures; they also represent a form of restorative justice.”

He added that the programme offers insurgents an opportunity to transition from a cycle of violence to lawful living, while undergoing a structured process that includes screening, accountability, behavioural assessment and rehabilitation.

“The programme is not a blanket approach,” he stressed. “Those assessed as high-risk, or who have committed prosecutable offences, are not simply reintegrated. There is a clear distinction between those who must face the justice system and those eligible for rehabilitation based on established criteria.

“If this pathway were removed entirely, many individuals would remain trapped within violent systems with no incentive to surrender. This would prolong the conflict, sustain recruitment pipelines, and increase the burden on kinetic operations. By providing a controlled exit, the programme reduces manpower available to these groups and encourages further defections.”

Ali concluded: “The programme is not about rewarding wrongdoing; it reduces violence, disrupts terrorist recruitment, encourages surrender, and supports long-term stability. It also reflects the reality that modern counter-insurgency and counterterrorism cannot rely on force alone; they must combine security operations with rehabilitation, reintegration, and community-based recovery. At the same time, we continue to strengthen screening processes, improve transparency, and expand engagement with communities and victims to maintain public trust.”