Daud Olatunji
President Bola Tinubu has promised to introduce standardised and verifiable reporting on former terrorists undergoing rehabilitation and reintegration, amid growing concerns over the transparency, effectiveness and accountability of government programmes for ex-insurgents.
The pledge is contained in the All Progressives Congress manifesto for 2027–2031, which outlines the administration’s proposed security priorities if Tinubu secures a second term in office.
The 109-page manifesto, released on Tuesday, also promises to strengthen existing surrender and rehabilitation frameworks, expand deradicalisation programmes, provide trauma support and promote peace-building initiatives in communities affected by insurgency.
According to the document, the government intends to strengthen existing frameworks through “standardised, verifiable reporting on all screened, reintegrated, and prosecuted ex-combatants.”
The proposed reporting system is expected to address longstanding questions surrounding the identification, screening, rehabilitation and eventual reintegration of former members of armed groups who surrender to Nigerian authorities.
However, the manifesto does not specify how the reporting mechanism will operate, the agency responsible for its implementation or whether the information will be made publicly accessible.
One of the Federal Government’s major initiatives in this regard is Operation Safe Corridor, established in 2016 to rehabilitate and reintegrate former Boko Haram fighters who surrender and are assessed as eligible.
The programme provides participants with psychological support, religious reorientation and vocational training, among other interventions, to prepare them for reintegration into civilian communities.
Despite its stated objectives, Operation Safe Corridor has continued to attract criticism from communities affected by insurgency, particularly victims who question the rationale for rehabilitating former fighters while survivors are still struggling with displacement, psychological trauma and the loss of loved ones.
The military has consistently maintained that the initiative is not an amnesty arrangement but a rehabilitation programme designed for individuals assessed to be low-risk.
Those considered to have committed serious offences are expected to face appropriate legal processes.
In April 2026, the National Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Yuauf Ali, said the programme was strengthening its screening procedures and monitoring mechanisms to address concerns about its credibility.
Ali also disclosed that the government was expanding rehabilitation infrastructure beyond the North-East, including facilities to address security challenges in the North-West and North-Central regions.
Beyond the federal initiative, some state governments have introduced their own deradicalisation and rehabilitation programmes.
One prominent example is the Borno Model, launched by the Borno State Government in 2021 following the mass surrender of Boko Haram fighters and their associates.
However, the programme has also faced questions over alleged weaknesses in screening, inadequate post-release monitoring and concerns about the extent to which extremist indoctrination is addressed before beneficiaries return to society.
Concerns about the management of former insurgents were further heightened in September 2024 when reports emerged that 13 former Boko Haram fighters integrated into military operations in Borno State had escaped from their camp in Mafa.
The former fighters reportedly escaped with rifles and motorcycles provided for counter-insurgency operations.
A PREMIUM TIMES investigation, citing security researcher Malik Samuel, reported that eight of the men escaped on September 1, while five others fled the following day.
However, the Borno State Government disputed the account, acknowledging that six former insurgents escaped but denying that they took government-issued weapons.
Security researchers have also raised concerns about inadequate economic support for rehabilitated former fighters and the absence of systematic monitoring after their release.
They warn that weak follow-up mechanisms could undermine reintegration efforts, potentially exposing communities to renewed security risks while further deepening resentment among victims of insurgency.
The APC manifesto also promises to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons to their communities as part of broader efforts to restore normalcy in conflict-affected areas.
The latest commitment comes as Tinubu seeks re-election in 2027 amid persistent security challenges, including insurgency, banditry and other forms of violent attacks across the country.
Although the proposed transparency framework could provide greater accountability in the management of former combatants, its effectiveness will largely depend on the implementation details, independent verification and public access to reliable information.
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