March 31, (THEWILL) — The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Tuesday, declared that it does not recruit killers or individuals with criminal records into the Armed Forces of Nigeria, firmly dismissing circulating rumours that repentant terrorists are being secretly absorbed into the military and insisting there is no place for criminals within its ranks.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, described the claims as false, misleading, and capable of undermining public confidence in the military.
“We are not recruiting any killers into the army, and we can never do that”, he stated.
Ali stressed that the Armed Forces operate strict recruitment standards that automatically disqualify anyone with a criminal record from joining the military or any security agency.
“Once you have any criminal record, you cannot join the military or any security agency”, he added.
He explained that the misinformation likely stems from a misunderstanding of Operation Safe Corridor, a deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration initiative, not a recruitment programme.
Launched between 2015 and 2016 at the height of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East, the programme was designed to manage the growing number of insurgents who voluntarily surrendered or escaped from terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province during military offensives.
Many of the individuals admitted into the programme, Ali noted, were forcibly conscripted after attacks on their communities, including Gwoza, Bama, and Madagali.
He further explained that all surrendered individuals undergo a rigorous multi-agency screening process involving the Ministry of Justice, security agencies, and international partners, through which they are classified into low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk categories.
According to him, only low-risk individuals — those coerced into joining insurgents and with no prosecutable offences — are admitted into Operation Safe Corridor.
“These are individuals the justice system has determined have no case to answer”, he said.
Ali added that participants receive deradicalisation support, trauma counselling, and vocational training in skills such as tailoring, carpentry, and agriculture to prepare them for productive civilian life.
He noted that many arrive with psychological trauma and, in some cases, substance dependency, making rehabilitation essential for their successful reintegration into society.
The DHQ also emphasised that the programme does not replace the criminal justice system, as high-risk terrorists captured during military operations are prosecuted and, if found guilty, imprisoned.
“The programme operates on a dual-track system: criminal justice for offenders and rehabilitation for victims”, Ali explained.
Reiterating the military’s position, he said Operation Safe Corridor is designed to prevent a return to violence and promote lasting peace, not to serve as a pathway into military service.
“Operation Safe Corridor is about rehabilitation, not recruitment. Its purpose is to prevent a return to violence”, he affirmed.
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