Operation Safe Corridor Debunks Claims Of Arming Ex-Boko Haram Fighters

The coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor Brigadier General Yusuf Ali has debunked claims alleging that “repentant and active Boko Haram terrorists” are being armed to fight alongside the Nigerian military under the programme.

He invited purveyors of the claims to visit the facility to verify facts on ground.

He stated these in a statement on Tuesday while responding to a video circulated by a Danish blogger Jones Raw.

He stated that the claim is “false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.”

According to him, there are several state-led De-radicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DRR) initiatives across the country which operate independently and are not under the control or supervision of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) or Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

He said individuals processed through such state-level arrangements are not recognized as participants within the DHQ-led Operation SAFE CORRIDOR framework.

The coordinator noted that the facility depicted in the video is not an OPSC DRR Camp.

He stressed that the officially designated OPSC facility responsible for handling Boko Haram participants is located in Mallam Sidi, Gombe State, and operates as a secured and controlled military environment.

“The location shown in the video is clearly inconsistent with the OPSC facility, based on observable differences in structural design, layout, and operational setting. Additionally, the Danish blogger, Jones Raw, and the individuals featured in the video are not known to, nor have they ever been associated with, or granted access to the OPSC facility, rendering the claims not only inaccurate but deliberately misleading,” he said.

Brig-Gen. Ali reiterated that Operation SAFE CORRIDOR remains a strictly non-kinetic, multi-agency programme, designed to facilitate the de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of carefully screened and profiled individuals.

“At no point are participants armed, mobilized, or deployed for combat operations,” he declared.

He explained that upon completion of the programme, participants are formally handed over to relevant state authorities for reintegration and remain within established monitoring frameworks.

He added that the programme continues to serve as a critical component of Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy by reducing the pool of fighters, encouraging voluntary disengagement, and supporting long-term national stability.

He added that OPSC operates with the engagement and support of reputable international partners including; the European Union, of which Denmark, the country of the said blogger, is a member, underscores the programme’s compliance with international standards, transparency, and adherence to global best practices.

“Accordingly, the originator of the claim, Jones Raw, and any interested and credible observers are invited to a formally coordinated and monitored visit to the OPSC DRR Camp in Mallam Sidi, to be facilitated in conjunction with OPSC’s international partners, where the facts can be independently verified.”

He reaffirmed OPSC commitments to transparency, professionalism, and the effective execution of its mandate rooted in non-kinetic efforts towards ensuring national security and sustainable peace.