- Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denies claims that the military favours repentant terrorists over victims.
- DHQ says comments by the Chief of Defence Staff were misrepresented online.
- Operation Safe Corridor focuses on deradicalisation and reintegration of surrendered fighters.
- The military insists it remains committed to neutralising active terrorists and protecting citizens.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports suggesting that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) are prioritising leniency for repentant terrorists instead of justice for victims, stating that the claims are misleading and taken out of context.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, the military said recent reports misrepresented the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, regarding Operation Safe Corridor.
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According to the DHQ, the comments were deliberately distorted by an online publication, creating the impression that the Nigerian military is sympathetic toward terrorists.
“This portrayal is not only inaccurate but also undermines ongoing national security efforts,” Uba said.
The defence spokesman explained that Operation Safe Corridor, established in 2015, is designed as a Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme for terrorists who voluntarily surrender.
He stressed that the initiative is not an amnesty programme, as widely claimed.
“Operation Safe Corridor is not an amnesty programme but a carefully structured deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration initiative targeted strictly at surrendered, screened and low-risk former combatants,” he said.
Uba noted that the programme forms part of a broader counter-insurgency strategy that combines both military operations and non-military approaches to weaken insurgent groups.
According to him, hundreds of individuals have gone through the programme since it began, and many have provided valuable intelligence that has helped security forces dismantle terrorist networks.
The DHQ also clarified that the Chief of Defence Staff’s remarks were made during a professional lecture on military doctrine.
The lecture, according to the statement, focused on global best practices in resolving armed conflicts, where rehabilitation efforts complement military action.
“His remarks highlighted global best practices where rehabilitation complements battlefield successes, not replaces them. Any attempt to frame these remarks as sympathy for terrorists is a gross misinterpretation,” the statement added.
The defence headquarters further reiterated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to defeating terrorism and protecting law-abiding citizens.
Uba stated that military leadership continues to direct aggressive operations across various conflict zones in the country.
He added that Operation Safe Corridor only applies to a specific group of individuals who have voluntarily surrendered and passed strict security screening processes.
According to him, the programme does not affect ongoing military operations against active terrorist groups across Nigeria.
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