Nigeria’s Security Challenges: How Safe Is Operation ‘Safe Corridor’

– How Nigerian Military is shielding Boko Haram terrorists from justice

From Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

Though the Nigerian Military hierarchy has painstakingly explained the rational behind the launch of ‘Operation Safe Corridor’, a non-kinetic programme designed to pardon and rehabilitate Boko Haram terrorists who were captured or surrendered to troops but it has continued to suffer backlash.

Even as it prides that the model is designed to align with universal best practices in counter terrorism operations, it is offensive to know that Boko Haram terrorists who have slain hundreds of citizens, including women and children are rewarded with a pat on the back.

The Military has spared nothing to assure the civil populace that there is no hidden agenda in the de-radicalization and resettlement of the repentant Boko Haram fighters.

The ‘ill conceived’ programme has further eroded the confidence of the citizens to get justice or any reprieve foe the gruesome murder of their loved ones by the terrorists who have been pardoned of their atrocities.

The Military propaganda is still far from endearing the victims of the insurgency to the ex-terrorists or convince majority of Nigerians that the programme was conceived in good intention.

Although the Military has explained that only those classified as low risk agitators are admitted into the programme after they are profiled, why others who do not fall under this category are handed over to requisite authorities to be prosecuted. 

Recently 601 deradicalised ex Boko Haram combatants graduated at the DRR camp in Mallam Sidi, Gombe.

Out of the 601 graduates of the batch 4 client which arrived in two batches on 27 November and 14 December 2019 592 are Nigerians from 10 states of the federation while 14 are foreign Nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Major General Bamidele Shafa , disclosed that out of this number, three died of health complications while one was referred for further medical treatment at the Neuro-psychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri.

Shafa said another one was withdrawn on disciplinary ground and transferred for re-categorization and prosecution.

“On arrival at the camp, the clients went through documentation processes to obtain vital background information after which they were subjected to comprehensive medical screening to determine their health status

“Their DNA samples were also collected while their biometrics were captured on National Data using the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC) facilities for future references. The background information serves as guide for the experts; Local Treatment Team (LTT) to properly place the clients for treatment therapies and vocational training. 

“The LTT are specialised experts in various fields of deradicalisation and rehabilitation therapies drawn from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS)”, he said.

According to the then Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, “the de-radicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration program is a Federal Government program conducted under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor as a non- kinetic operation”.

He explained further that “Nigeria’s De-radicalization model is a very effective one, targeted at low risk combatants and has become a classical example in the Lake Chad Basin Region and West Africa.

“Repentant insurgents who willingly abandoned their struggle and surrendered to Federal troops have been de-radicalized, rehabilitated and re-integrated into the society by their respective state governments in conjunction with traditional and religious institutions.

 “Nigeria’s De-radicalization model is therefore not new in the global community, as such model exists in Algeria, Colombia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, where persons involved in violent extremism have been de-radicalized and rehabilitated . This process is therefore an internationally acceptable practice now.

“So far in Nigeria, the de-radicalized ex-fighters are doing well in their respective communities, as no adverse report has been recorded against the de-radicalized repentant ex fighters by Operation Safe Corridor’s monitoring unit. 

“There has not been report of molestation or harassment of any sort against them by members of the communities, where they are resettled. As a matter of verifiable fact, the reintegrated ex- fighters are doing well in their various endeavours and are positively impacting on their respective communities.

“It is also expedient to state, that the Federal Government of Nigeria has continued to prosecute BHT/ISWAP suspects in courts of competent jurisdiction and over 500 terrorists have so far been convicted. Meanwhile, the next round of prosecution of another batch of terrorism suspects is due to commence shortly”.

To further dispel all fears about the Operation Safe Corridor, the Military administered oath on the rehabilitated terrorists to be of good conduct.

Six hundred and two of the repented insurgents took the oath.

Also justifying the measure, the then Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, now retired, said the oath of Allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria was taken by the insurgents to emphasize their loyalty and repentance. 

Enenche revealed further that ex-insurgents who have completed de-radicalization, rehabilitation and re-integration programme at Malam Sidi Camp took the oath before an 11 member quasi-judicial Panel.

He said the implication is that, at the end of the programme, if they commit any offence, they stand to forfeit all privileges and will be liable for offence against the State.

According to him, “It is heart warming to state that Operation Safe Corridor has successfully coordinated the DRR programme for 882 ex Boko Haram members including the 280 earlier graduated. Thus, the message here is clear to others out there to surrender and be profiled accordingly for the DRR privilege”.

To further insulate the repentant insurgents from stigmatization and discrimination they are addressed as ‘clients’ by the Nigerian Military in place of the obviously repulsive term, terrorists.

But these measures have done little or failed completely to endear the repented and rehabilitated ex-insurgents to their former victims, most of who are still dying away at IDP camps.

The programme has been sharply criticised by Nigerians as ill conceived to reward terrorists who have visited unprecedented bloodletting and carnage on the country.

Condemning the Operation Safe Corridor, the Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, disclosed that many of the repentant Boko Haram fighters granted amnesty have taken back to terrorism.

Ndume who represents Borno South, questioned the Federal Government’s decision to reform the insurgents, while their victims are wasting away at different IDP Camps.

He said one of the repentant fighters recently disappeared after killing and robbing his father.

He spoke in a BBC Hausa Service programme monitored by The Nation.

According to him: “This government’s programme is unacceptable to our people. The right thing is to stop it, forthwith.

“Not that he even apologised to you, he apologised to the government. His thinking was that government has failed and that is why they are being pampered.

“They are like Kharajites. Many among those released have since run away. They will never repent.

“The government should know what to do about them. But not re-introducing someone to you, who has killed your parent, or your relations.

“If there is sincerity of purpose in this, those in the IDP camps should be trained in various trades and vocation so that they could start life again.”

Also bemoaning the Federal Government”s decision, a widow, who also featured on the BBC, condemned the amnesty programme for Boko Haram.

According to her: “This thing is painful. They killed my husband in my presence, they killed my son. I am left suffering with four young orphans. Till death, I will never forget that day.

“I was left with orphans, with no help or assistance. See how harsh life is today, someday we eat, another day we stay hungry. That is how we are suffering with the children.

“Look at the kind of care given to the Boko Haram members. We that have suffered for six years now, we are not taken care of but the repentant Boko Haram, truly government has not done justice here”.

Other Internally Displaced Persons also chided the FG for expending resources on terrorists, while abandoning the victims, including widows and orphans and other victims of Boko Haram.

A mother of four who said her husband was killed in her presence by Boko Haram members, lamented that the same people who killed her husband were being taken care of by the government.

According to her, “I have not received any assistance. I am left with four children. The kind of life we live now is some days we eat, some other days we have nothing to eat and government says ‘Boko Haram fighters have repented and they take care of them”.

Also knocking the programme, another victim and a widow, said, “honestly, the government has not been just on this issue because I don’t get money to feed my children until I go and wash clothes for people.”

Yet another victim, who lost four brothers to Boko Haram attacks, lamented that “they drove us out of our homes. Are these the people we are going to live with as if nothing happened?”

Tata Hussaini, who has been living in an IDP camp in Maiduguri since 2014, when her husband was killed at Tumbum-Mata, Baga, said she had not seen her daughter who was kidnapped by the insurgents.

“I am sad that they (government) are releasing them (Boko Haram insurgents) despite killing my husband and many others. They have abducted my daughter and thousands of others. They have made living a pain for me and many others.”

Another widow, Marta Ibrahim, said, “We were running when they killed my husband who I did not even give proper burial.

“I do not support the amnesty plan and allowing them to walk free in society. They have made me to lose a lot.I do not have husband anymore. My children are without a father and I have turned to a beggar living in a camp since 2014. I feel I deserve justice and justice I demand. They should be prosecuted and not be freed.”

Prominent Nigerians and Civil Society Organizations have also dismissed the programme as repugnant, dubious and unacceptable.

They argued that “if reformed insurgents are to be reintegrated, it is better you do that after victims of insurgency are rehabilitated and resettled in their communities before attempting to reintegrate reformed insurgents. What the military or government is doing now is like causing double injuries on citizens and further adding salt to those injuries.”

Some prominent Northerners who didn’t want to be mentioned, described the Federal Government’s action as insensitive.

They insisted that Operation Safe corridor is a confirmation of Government’s preference for Boko Haram “whose members are still out there maiming, killing and kidnapping people including humanitarian workers.”

“Where do we situate the memory of our slain dear ones or the yet to be resettled traumatised victims of the 11 painful years of Boko Haram terrorism in terms of thousands of lives lost, widows, orphans and shattered extended proud families?”, they querried.

Also slamming the Federal Government, the Southeast Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD) and the Human Rights Defender, Dede Uzor. A. Uzor, called for immediate reversal of the programme 

He contended that while many children roam the North without education or any form of care, the government is expending huge resources reforming criminals and terrorist, adding that the programme will lure many of the street children (almajirai) into the terror groups.

According to him, “pardoning the so called repentant terrorists and absorbing them into the Nigerian Army as the Operation Safe Corridor is doing, is a serious security threat. It is responsible for recent security lapses in the Military. The programme should be ended forthwith.

“The Federal Government cannot be spending huge resources on terrorists, while thousands of children roam the streets in the North. So it has become obvious that the only way they can get Government’s attention is to join any of the terror group”.