CDS: Operation Safe Corridor prevents recycling of violence
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, stated that structured rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists consolidate the gains of kinetic operations and help prevent the recycling of
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, stated that structured rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists consolidate the gains of kinetic operations and help prevent the recycling of violence.
The CDS said this during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja to finalise modalities for transferring rehabilitated clients to their respective national and state authorities for reintegration.
The meeting was attended by representatives from federal ministries, the Office of the National Security Adviser, state governments, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, the European Union, Commonwealth, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and other development partners.
According to a statement by Director Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, General Oluyede, represented by the Chief of Defence Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Major General Jamal Abdusalam, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to peacebuilding and national recovery.
The CDS described Operation SAFE CORRIDOR as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s security architecture, noting that while kinetic operations create space for stabilisation, structured rehabilitation and reintegration consolidate those gains and prevent the recycling of violence.
“Since its inception in 2016, Operation SAFE CORRIDOR has processed thousands of clients through a controlled and integrity-driven Disarmament, Rehabilitation and Reintegration framework.
“When properly screened and coordinated, surrender pathways degrade insurgent cohesion, generate actionable intelligence, and support long-term stability,” he said.
The Coordinator, Operation SAFE CORRIDOR, Brigadier General Y Ali, noted that the progress and expansion of OPSC are firmly anchored on the CDS philosophy of enhanced jointness, improved welfare, and sound administration under a whole-of-government framework.
Ali described OPSC as a multi-agency humanitarian stabilisation programme backed by the Constitution of Nigeria and relevant international humanitarian and human rights instruments, drawing personnel from 17 Services, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
He said since inception, the programme has continued to evolve institutionally, strengthening screening mechanisms, refining ideological disengagement modules, improving psychosocial recovery systems, and expanding inter-agency coordination.
Ali stressed that OPSC remains structured and integrity-protected, with emphasis on accountability, behavioural change, and sustainable reintegration outcomes.
He disclosed that 117 clients from Borno State have completed the DRR process at Mallam Sidi Camp, reflecting strengthened federal–state harmonisation in reception, monitoring, and community reintegration.
He also highlighted the expansion of OPSC to the North West, where a DRR camp established in February last year marked a significant stabilisation milestone.
Ali said the ongoing engagements with Zamfara State aim to recalibrate the facility toward a comprehensive Victim Healing, Rehabilitation and Reintegration framework, integrating psychosocial recovery, community reconciliation, livelihood support, and structured monitoring.
He said in the North Central region, Benue State has formally requested the establishment of a DRR camp. The Defence Headquarters has assessed proposed sites and advised alignment with national infrastructure, security, and sustainability standards before approval.
