Rehabilitated terrorists tracked via National ID database - DHQ
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the federal government is deploying the National Identity Number (NIN) system to monitor rehabilitated and reintegrated repentant terrorists. The military high command said the measure
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the federal government is deploying the National Identity Number (NIN) system to monitor rehabilitated and reintegrated repentant terrorists.
The military high command said the measure was part of efforts to prevent a return to criminal activities after undergoing the deradicalisation programme under Operation Safe Corridor.
Operation Safe Corridor, launched in 2016, is a federal government‑led non‑kinetic counter‑insurgency programme designed to encourage, rehabilitate, and reintegrate repentant former combatants — especially those who have surrendered from armed groups such as Boko Haram and splinter groups — back into society.
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Coordinated by the Defence Headquarters in collaboration with relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the programme targets low-risk individuals, particularly those not deeply involved in combat operations, and prepares them for reintegration into civilian life.
The Coordinator Operation Safe Corridor Brig.-Gen. Yusuf Ali, said during a press briefing at Defence Headquarters on Tuesday that “individuals who complete the programme are enrolled in the National Identity Management Commission. (NIMC) database”, enabling security agencies to track them after their reintegration into society by their respective state governments.
Ali explained that the tracking mechanism complements an existing community-based monitoring structure involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, and other stakeholders, who are tasked with overseeing the conduct of reintegrated individuals within their communities.
The Coordinator dismissed claims that rehabilitated former insurgents are being recruited into the Armed Forces or other security agencies, calling them “misleading”, and emphasised that such individuals do not meet the established enlistment requirements.
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Ali said the programme includes a structured monitoring and evaluation framework designed to track participants after reintegration.
He noted that while the military oversees rehabilitation, the responsibility for reintegration lies with state governments, which work with community leaders to ensure effective supervision at the grassroots level.
The Coordinator added that the inclusion of participants in the NIMC database enhances traceability, noting that relevant security agencies can quickly access their records if they are implicated in any wrongdoing.
He said no system is entirely foolproof, the current framework remains effective, adding that any case of recidivism would likely attract widespread public attention.
“We welcomed suggestions on how to strengthen the monitoring process further,” Ali said.
