Operation Safe Corridor Graduates Share Rehabilitation Stories

Graduates of the Operation Safe Corridor program recounted their harrowing experiences of wrongful detention during a ceremony held on Thursday in Gombe. Basil Anetochukwu detailed his ordeal, which began in October 2022 in Anambra State when he was arrested while fixing an electrical fault.

He was detained for three months in Anambra, followed by three months in Enugu, and later moved to Abuja, realizing he was wrongfully connected to a case involving the electrician. After spending seven months in the rehabilitation program, he acknowledged the program's benefits, including vocational training and support.

Usman Hassan also shared his story of being detained since 2011 and highlighted the program's impact on his reintegration efforts. The graduates collectively urged Nigerians to support the initiative, emphasizing that 98% of them were not involved in criminal activities and advocating for peace and development in the nation.

The program reflects a shift towards combining military efforts with non-kinetic strategies to address insurgency, particularly in the northeast.