The Federal Government’s graduation of 744 repentant terrorists on April 16, 2026, marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s non-kinetic approach to ending the insurgency in the Northeast.
​Under the banner of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), this graduation ceremony held in Gombe is part of a broader strategy to weaken extremist recruitment by providing a “soft landing” for those willing to renounce violence.
From the 744 individuals from the DDR program, 736 are Nigerians, the group includes 8 foreign nationals (from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Republic).
The majority of participants (597) are from
Borno State, followed by Yobe (58), Kano (15), Bauchi (12), and Adamawa (10), with others from various states across the federation.
The event was overseen by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, who emphasized that this is a “deliberate strategy” rather than an amnesty or a sign of weakness.
The De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) program is a multi-step process designed to transition ex-combatants back into civilian life with Intensive counseling to address the trauma and ideological brainwashing experienced during their time with insurgent groups.
Graduates are equipped with skills in trades like tailoring, carpentry, or shoe-making to ensure they have an honest livelihood upon return.
Clerics work with the participants to correct extremist interpretations of religious texts.
Re-teaching the values of national identity and the responsibilities of citizenship.
​While the government views this as a victory for peace, the reintegration phase is often the most difficult. Many victims of the insurgency feel a “sense of inequity,” seeing perpetrators receive vocational training and support while survivors continue to struggle in IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps.
Federal Government must ensure that “repentant” fighters do not return to the forest requires strict monitoring and successful economic integration, which OPSC officials say is a shared responsibility between the government and local communities
