FG: Over 300 repentant terrorists undergoing rehabilitation — more fighters willing to surrender

The federal government says more than 300 repentant terrorists are currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at a high-level stakeholders and donors’ meeting, Adamu Laka, national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), said the initiative is part of the federal government’s efforts to tackle insecurity through non-kinetic strategies.

Laka said the programme is an extension of the federal government’s deradicalisation and reintegration efforts under Operation safe corridor.

He noted that over 2,600 former fighters have so far completed the programme at the Mallam Sidi camp in Gombe state.

“Operation safe corridor, a deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration programme in Mallam Sidi, Gombe state, has so far graduated over 2,600 low-risk former combatants, providing them with psycho-social support, vocational training, and reintegration assistance,” Laka said.

“Currently, there are over 300 clients in the camp undergoing the process.”

He added that the 300 ex-fighters currently undergoing rehabilitation are among those who surrendered voluntarily in recent months — especially from the north-west and north-central regions.

At the meeting, the NCTC coordinator announced the launch of a new agribusiness and livelihood initiative in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

Laka said the programme aims to provide land, inputs, training, mentorship, and access to markets — not only for former fighters but also for widows and members of conflict-affected communities.

“Furthermore, a growing number of terrorists and bandits are now expressing willingness to surrender in the north-west and north-central regions,” he said.

“Efforts are currently underway to design and implement similar disarmament, deradicalisation and reintegration programmes tailored to these regions in north-west Nigeria.

“The new project will provide access to land, inputs, training, mentorship, and market linkages for former clients of the federal government’s disarmament, deradicalisation, and reintegration programme, as well as widows and members of conflict-affected communities.”

Abdoulaye Tahirau, deputy director-general at IITA, described the seeds for hope initiative as a pathway to inclusive peace and recovery.

Tahirau said the programme would focus on boosting agricultural productivity and resilience among the target groups.