The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has revealed that more than 60 per cent of terrorists and fighters involved in insurgency are not primarily driven by ideology, but are individuals who were coerced, abducted, or drawn into conflict due to circumstances beyond their control.
The military high command said the revelation underscores the importance of the Federal Government’s deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration initiative designed to address the human dimension of the insurgency and reduce the cycle of violence in the country’s conflict-affected regions.
According to the DHQ, many of those fighting in insurgent groups were recruited as teenagers, kidnapped from their communities, forced into combat, or joined armed groups as a means of survival due to poverty, displacement, and lack of opportunities. The military noted that understanding this reality is crucial to ending insurgency because not all fighters are hardened extremists, and many are willing to surrender if given the opportunity and assurance of rehabilitation.
The DHQ therefore reiterated its support for Operation Safe Corridor, a Federal Government-led non-kinetic counter-insurgency programme launched in 2016 to encourage, rehabilitate and reintegrate repentant former combatants back into society. The programme primarily targets individuals who have surrendered from armed groups operating in the North-East, particularly Boko Haram and its splinter factions.
Military authorities explained that the programme involves psychological counselling, religious re-education, vocational training, and civic education aimed at preparing former fighters for peaceful civilian life. Participants are also taught various skills such as carpentry, tailoring, welding, farming and other trades to help them become self-reliant after reintegration into society.
Security experts say the non-kinetic approach complements ongoing military operations by providing a pathway for fighters who are willing to surrender, thereby weakening insurgent groups from within. They noted that when fighters surrender in large numbers, it reduces the operational strength of terrorist groups and provides valuable intelligence that can help security forces in their operations.
The DHQ emphasized that the programme does not replace military action but rather works alongside it as part of a comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy that combines force with rehabilitation and reconciliation. According to the military, insurgency is not only a security problem but also a social and humanitarian issue that requires long-term solutions beyond the battlefield.
However, the programme has generated debate among Nigerians, with some citizens expressing concern about the reintegration of former fighters into communities, especially in areas that suffered attacks during the insurgency. In response, the DHQ said the rehabilitation programme includes proper profiling, risk assessment and monitoring to ensure that only individuals who have genuinely renounced violence are reintegrated into society.
The military also stressed that many of the individuals in the programme were victims themselves, particularly those who were abducted as minors and forced to fight. Officials say rehabilitation gives such individuals a second chance at life and helps prevent them from returning to armed groups.
The DHQ called on communities, religious leaders and civil society organisations to support the reintegration process, noting that successful rehabilitation depends largely on community acceptance and support systems that help former fighters rebuild their lives.
The Defence Headquarters maintained that a purely military solution cannot completely end insurgency without addressing the social, economic and psychological factors that drive recruitment into armed groups. It said programmes like Operation Safe Corridor remain a critical component of Nigeria’s long-term strategy to restore peace and stability in conflict-affected regions.
As Nigeria continues its fight against insurgency, the DHQ reiterated that combining military pressure with deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration offers a more sustainable path to peace, particularly for those who were forced into conflict and are willing to embrace a new life away from violence.
