DHQ Denies Recruitment of Repentant Terrorists in Military

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying that reports claiming the Nigerian military is recruiting repentant terrorists and bandits are false. Brig. Gen. Ali, the coordinator of the Safe Corridor operation, dismissed these claims, asserting that the military has strict recruitment rules that disqualify anyone with a criminal record.

The Safe Corridor operation is designed to manage the surrender of insurgents and involves a multi-agency screening process, including the Ministry of Justice and international bodies. Surrendered individuals are classified into three categories: low risk, medium risk, and high risk.

Brig. Gen. Ali stressed that the operation does not replace criminal justice for hardcore terrorists, who will be captured and prosecuted according to the law. The focus of the Safe Corridor initiative is strictly on rehabilitation and reintegration into society, ensuring that repentant terrorists do not return to criminal activities.