HURIWA Condemns FG's Plan to Reintegrate 744 Ex-Insurgents, Citing Justice and Security Risks
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly opposed the Federal Government's decision to reintegrate 744 individuals labeled as repentant terrorists under the Operation Safe Corridor programme. In a statement released by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group asserted that this policy compromises justice, neglects victims, and raises significant security alarms.
Background of the Controversial Programme
The controversy erupted following the Federal Government's announcement that 744 persons, described as former terrorists and victims of violent extremism, had completed a deradicalisation programme and would be returned to communities nationwide. This disclosure was made during a graduation ceremony in Gombe, presented by the military as part of efforts to address insurgency through non-kinetic measures.
Authorities have maintained that the programme is a structured rehabilitation process, not an amnesty, involving psychosocial support, vocational training, religious reorientation, and civic education. Beneficiaries, primarily from insurgency-affected states in the North-East, such as Borno State, also include some foreign nationals.
HURIWA's Critical Stance on Accountability and Safety
HURIWA, however, argued that this approach raises fundamental concerns about accountability and public safety. The group stated, "What the Federal Government has effectively done is to normalise the reintegration of individuals linked to violence into communities without transparent judicial accountability or justice for victims. This is not peacebuilding. It is a dangerous approach at a time when victims of terrorism continue to live with trauma."
The group added that releasing such individuals through administrative processes, rather than judicial procedures, could undermine public confidence and the rule of law. HURIWA further emphasized that the effectiveness of any reintegration programme should be assessed by the level of justice delivered, community confidence, and assurances against a recurrence of violence.
Calls for Transparency and Programme Suspension
In response, HURIWA called for the immediate suspension of the programme and urged the government to provide full public disclosure of the identities, roles, and risk profiles of those involved. The group stressed that without such transparency, the reintegration could pose ongoing threats to national security and fail to address the deep-seated issues of justice for affected communities.
