By Luka Binniyat
(ABUJA, Nigeria) — Nigeria’s Senate has called on the Federal Government to suspend the rehabilitation and reintegration of former Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, arguing that the policy undermines justice for victims and could weaken the country’s fight against terrorism.
According to The Guardian, June 7, 2026, the resolution followed deliberations by lawmakers who expressed concern that former terrorists accused of participating in violent attacks were being returned to society while thousands of victims remain displaced and communities devastated by years of insurgency.
Senators urged the Federal Government to review its counter-insurgency strategy and prioritize prosecution, justice for victims, and enhanced support for affected communities.
Terrorists Should Face The Law
According Intelregion.com several lawmakers maintained that individuals linked to terrorist activities should face the full weight of the law rather than receive rehabilitation without adequate accountability.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to increase humanitarian assistance for communities devastated by Boko Haram Islamists attacks and strengthen military operations against the remaining insurgents operating in the North-East, North West and the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
Operation Safe Corridor
The Federal Government’s deradicalization initiative, popularly known as “Operation Safe Corridor,” was introduced to encourage those regarded as low-risk insurgents to surrender, undergo rehabilitation and eventually return to civilian life.
Authorities have defended the programme as part of a broader non-kinetic strategy aimed at ending the insurgency and encouraging more fighters to surrender.
However, critics insist that the programme has failed to address the concerns of victims and survivors, many of whom continue to live in displacement camps with limited access to basic services.
They argue that reconciliation cannot succeed without justice and accountability for crimes committed during the insurgency.
The Senate’s position comes amid renewed national debate over how Nigeria should handle captured and surrendered insurgents.
While security experts remain divided, some believe rehabilitation can help reduce recruitment into extremist groups, others insist that terrorism-related offences should be punished under existing laws.
Destruction and Deaths Since 2009
The Islamist insurgency, which began in 2009, has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions of people and destroyed schools, churches, mosques, hospitals and other public infrastructure across Nigeria North East.
Insecurity became worse and more complicated with the emergence of even more violent armed Fulani gangs and deadly bouquets of various terrorists groups linked to Islamists in the Northwest and the Middle Belt of Nigeria
The Senate’s resolution is expected to add pressure on the Federal Government to reassess its deradicalization programme as public debate continues over the balance between national security, reconciliation and justice for victims of terrorism.
Northwest states that have granted amnesty or negotiated with bandits
Several Northwest states have, at different times, adopted dialogue, peace agreements or amnesty initiatives with armed bandits. These include Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, and Sokoto. The approaches have ranged from negotiated ceasefires and disarmament agreements to financial incentives and reconciliation efforts.
Successive administrations argued that dialogue would reduce violence, while critics contend that the initiatives emboldened armed groups and encouraged attacks.
The fact is, however, that banditry has persisted and increased across much of the region.
Repentant Boko Haram/ISWAP reintegration
Under Operation Safe Corridor, Nigeria has processed thousands of surrendered Boko Haram and ISWAP members through deradicalization, vocational training and reintegration. Government figures released over the years indicate that more than 2,000 former insurgents have completed the programme, while mass surrenders since 2021 have allowed well over 100,000 people, most of whom were family members of terrorist fighters, to surrender to the Federal Government. Not all of these entered rehabilitation. Independent estimates suggest the programme has cost tens of billions of naira, covering accommodation, counselling, training, security and resettlement, but the Federal Government has not published a comprehensive cumulative expenditure.
Legal Expert’s Position
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has argued that government negotiations with terrorists and bandits violate the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. Speaking at Amnesty International Nigeria’s 2026 Annual General Meeting in Abuja, Falana said officials who knowingly meet or negotiate with proscribed terrorist groups act contrary to the law.
He maintained that arrested terrorists should be prosecuted and, if convicted, only the President—not state governors—may exercise the constitutional prerogative of mercy in deserving cases.
Luka Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria from Kaduna.
