Nigeria's Operation Safe Corridor Needs Local Ownership

During a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, Commander of Operation Safe Corridor, called for Nigerian ownership of the initiative aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. He emphasized that the deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration (DRR) program is not intended to coddle former fighters but to complement ongoing military operations that address the root causes of insurgency.

The program targets individuals forcibly recruited or misled into joining terrorist groups, encouraging them to abandon violence. Brigadier General Ali commended the federal government's sustained support for the initiative, which has recorded significant success since its inception.

He noted that several countries, including Colombia, Somalia, and Mali, have shown interest in the program and have sent delegations to Nigeria to study its implementation. Major General Samaila Uba underscored the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces to uphold human rights during operations, highlighting that Operation Safe Corridor adheres to international standards, including the Geneva Conventions.