The National Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Yusuf Ali, has revealed that over 60 per cent of terrorist and bandit foot soldiers are not ideologically driven but are individuals coerced, abducted, or caught up in conflict dynamics.
He said the finding underscores the importance of the federal government’s deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme.
Quoting a recent survey, General Ali noted that the insight shows that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective, stressing the need for region-specific interventions.
Speaking to THISDAY in Abuja, he also announced plans to expand the programme to include rehabilitation of victims of violent extremism across the country.
“The programme is evolving to become more victim-sensitive. We recognise that sustainable peace cannot be achieved if victims of conflict feel neglected,” he said.
“This is why we are advancing the establishment of Victims’ Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camps, particularly in the North-Central and North-West regions, where communities have experienced significant trauma, displacement, and loss. Many victims live with deep psychological scars, and addressing that trauma is just as important as rehabilitating ex-combatants.”
He further disclosed ongoing efforts to expand and decentralise the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) infrastructure.
“We have moved beyond a single-theatre approach. The establishment of the DRR camp in Tsafe, Zamfara State, is specifically designed to address the peculiar security dynamics of the North-West, while the planned facility in Benue will serve the North-Central region,” he said.
“Other zones are also in the pipeline as part of a broader national framework… over 60 per cent of foot soldiers within terrorist and bandit groups are not ideologically driven, but are individuals who were coerced, abducted, or caught up in the dynamics of conflict.”
General Ali explained that Operation Safe Corridor is evolving along three key areas: stronger screening and accountability, expanded infrastructure tailored to regional needs, and a balanced approach addressing both disengagement from violence and healing for affected communities.
On public misconceptions about the programme, he said:
“We recognise that many misconceptions exist around Operation Safe Corridor, and these can undermine public trust. It is not amnesty, it is not a shortcut to evade justice, and it is certainly not a recruitment pathway into the Armed Forces.”
He added that the government is intensifying engagement with stakeholders, media, and partners to improve public understanding of the programme’s structure, safeguards, and objectives.
By Linus Aleke