Operation SAFE CORRIDOR (OPSC) has dismissed as false and misleading a widely circulated video alleging that “repentant and active Boko Haram terrorists” are being armed to fight alongside the Nigerian military under its programme.
Coordinator of OPSC, Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, said in a statement on Tuesday, that the claims are entirely unfounded, stressing that the initiative remains a strictly non-kinetic programme focused on de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of former insurgents.
TheFact Daily notes that Jones Raw, a Danish vlogger visiting Nigeria, recently stirred significant controversy and social media reaction with a video documentary focused on the Operation Safe Corridor Rehabilitation Centre in Maiduguri, Borno state. In his commentary, he alleged that individuals within the centre described as “repentant terrorists” had not actually been rehabilitated. He also suggested that some people at the facility were still active rather than reformed, raising questions about the efficacy of the rehabilitation process.
Clarifying the latest claims, the military said the facility shown in the viral video is not an OPSC camp, noting that its only designated de-radicalisation centre is located in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State, and operates under strict security and military supervision. It added that Jones Raw, and those featured are unknown to the programme and have never been granted access.
The statement further explained that various state-level de-radicalisation initiatives exist independently of Defence Headquarters and the Federal Government, and that individuals processed through such platforms are not part of the OPSC framework.
OPSC reiterated that participants in its programme are never armed, deployed, or involved in combat operations, but are instead handed over to state authorities upon completion for monitored reintegration into society.
It also highlighted ongoing collaboration with international partners, including the European Union, noting that such partnerships reinforce the programme’s transparency and adherence to global standards.
While warning that false narratives could undermine national security efforts, the military invited the originator of the claims and other credible observers to undertake a guided visit to the Mallam Sidi facility to independently verify its operations.
OPSC reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, transparency, and non-kinetic strategies aimed at promoting long-term peace and stability.
