The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has ignited fresh controversy after asserting that terrorists in Nigeria should be given a chance to repent and undergo rehabilitation rather than face outright elimination.
Oluyede made the statement on Thursday, during the inaugural lecture of the Armed Forces Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre (JDWC) at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Abuja.
He spoke while responding to persistent public criticism of the military’s deradicalization initiative, “Operation Safe Corridor” a programme designed to rehabilitate and reintegrate former insurgents who surrender.
According to him, while many Nigerians believe terrorists “should be killed” because of their actions, the government must still consider pathways for those willing to abandon violence.
“Talking about Operation Safe Corridor, so many people have asked that question: why do we need to rehabilitate criminals? They all should be killed because they have killed people. Well, that may make sense,” he said.
However, he argued that Nigeria must allow room for repentance, drawing a biblical comparison.
“But even in the Bible, we heard about the prodigal son. If there was not that window for the man to come back, would they have come back?” he added.
Oluyede stressed that most insurgents are Nigerians and should be given a chance to renounce extremism voluntarily instead of being pushed further into violence.
He also called for better public and legislative understanding of the programme, noting that its implementation is currently driven by the Defence Headquarters.
“I think it is important for us to make people understand, especially the National Assembly, because as we speak now, everything about the safe corridor is being given by the defence headquarters,” he said.
However, his comments have triggered strong reactions from many Nigerians, who say the policy does not reflect the scale of brutality inflicted by insurgents on both civilians and security forces.
Some observers argue that there is no commensurate force to counter the terror unleashed by insurgent groups, expressing concern that leniency is obviously emboldening further violence.
There are also lingering allegations that some rehabilitated fighters have returned to insurgency or act as informants for those still in the forests, raising doubts about the long-term effectiveness of the programme.
“The war has cost so much in human and resources, yet there is obvious sympathy towards these vicious agents of darkness who spill blood for fun,” a resident of Damaturu, Yobe State capital, who identified himself as Abubakar Buni, said.
Others have questioned the motives behind the continued support for the programme, suggesting that financial allocations tied to it may be influencing its persistence.
“They don’t even value their boys that these terrorists kill every day. I will never allow my son to join the Army,” a caller said during a radio programme.
The comments come amid continued insecurity in the North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks have persisted for over a decade, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced.
Nigeria’s insurgency, which began in 2009, remains one of the country’s most prolonged security crises, with ongoing debate over whether rehabilitation or punishment should dominate the national counterterrorism strategy.
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