Operation Safe Corridor Graduate Claims Wrongful Arrest, Detention

A graduate of the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor (OSC), Basil Anetochukwu, has narrated how he was arrested and detained for several months over what he described as a case he had no involvement in.

Anetochukwu , who spoke with journalists on Thursday shortly after the graduation ceremony, explained that his ordeal began in October 2022 in Anambra State after he contacted an electrician to fix a fault in his house.

He said the electrician had earlier scheduled a visit but did not show up as agreed, a situation that was later followed by a security operation at his residence in the early hours of the next day.

“The security invaded my house around 3 a.m. They were asking me about the guy. I told them I don’t know him. I only called him to fix an electrical fault,” he said.

According to him, he was taken into custody and moved between different detention facilities during investigations.

“I spent three months in Anambra State and another three months in Enugu. After investigations, I was later taken to Abuja and then Kainji before I got here,” he said.

Anetochukwu said he only later understood that his arrest was linked to a case involving the electrician he had contacted.

He added that he has spent about seven months in the rehabilitation programme, noting that his perception of the initiative changed after his arrival.

“Initially, we were scared and afraid of the unknown. But we later realised the programme was for our benefit. We learned vocations and we are grateful for the support,” he said.

He praised the federal government and implementing agencies for the programme, saying beneficiaries were trained in vocational skills and promised starter packs to aid reintegration.

Addressing concerns about the programme, Anetochukwu said most participants were not criminals.

“About 98 per cent of us here did not commit anything. Many are victims of circumstances. I urge Nigerians to support this programme,” he said.

He also called on those still involved in violent activities to abandon such paths and embrace peace.

“We should come out and join hands with government to develop our nation for the benefit of future generations,” he added.

Another graduate, Usman Hassan, shared a separate account of his arrest, saying he was picked up in 2011 during a visit to a barbing salon and remained in detention until his release in 2025 after completing the programme.

Hassan said although the rehabilitation programme was impactful, greater support was needed for reintegration.

“They are supposed to give clients what they need to start life outside. If they are left without support, it becomes a big challenge,” he said.

He disclosed that he now runs a provision store in his home state.

The graduates expressed appreciation to the federal government, security agencies, and programme facilitators for what they described as a transformative rehabilitation experience under Operation Safe Corridor.

Another graduate Jimoh Sifian, who hails from Okene Okene, local government of Kogi State said he was arrested in Niger State In one of his visits.
He said his wife resides in Minna Niger State so him being a civil servant with Kogi States government used to visit regularly.
He said he started working with Kogi States government in 2005 and was arrested in 2015.

He said in one of the visits, he went to see his mistress who was attending Federal University of Technology Minna and then he was picked up by security agencies on the instructions of a big man.

“I was arrested in Niger State. My wife was located in Niger State. Then I was working with the Kogi State Civil Service Commission. Normally I used to pay a visit to my wife two times in a month, that’s every week. Then I have a girl called Kemi. She’s a student of a FUT Minna going out with her. I don’t know if she has somebody that is dating her, of which he proposed to marry her. Then one fateful day, we were chilling in democracy centre in Niger State.

“We now saw a strange jeep. He was calling the girl, of which the girl refused to pay attention to him. I now said, baby, why don’t you pay attention to this man that is calling your name? She said to me, no worry.

“The next thing the man called me that I was the one that is instigating this girl. If I did not desist from her, he would hide me. That was the last word that he uttered.

Then after two days, I was together with my wife in the room. I now saw his security busting into my house. They took me. Immediately, they took me from Niger State. They took me to Abuja. Then they started asking me, what is my connection with this girl? That’s just it

“November 3rd, 2015. On Friday, I was arrested, yeah….I heard from the security, one officer was asking my IPO, that what is the case of this man?
The man just told him that it’s because of woman. That was how I got to know that it’s because of this man. The next day, the man now said that they shoot take me to court. He said there is big man interested in my case. That’s the word that I heard from the IPO.”

He however, thanked the federal government for the opportunity to learn a new trade to start a new life.
“I just believe it’s destiny. Then I learned how to be patient and accept whatever happens to you. I’ll just take it.”