A team of officials from Defence Headquarters’ Operation SAFE CORRIDOR (OPSC) on Tuesday at the 3 Division Auditorium, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment Jos, Plateau where they conducted troops of 3 Division and Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE (JTF OPEP) on sensitization and integration of non-kinetic strategies into military operations.
Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, Coordinator of OPSC, who delivered the keynote lecture titled “Non-Kinetic Pathway to Peace and Security: Operation SAFE CORRIDOR in Perspective,” emphasized that while kinetic military operations are essential for disrupting insurgent and criminal activities, lasting peace requires addressing the root causes of conflict.
General Ali told the participants from various security agencies in Plateau State that “kinetic means alone cannot achieve sustainable security,. We must also confront the underlying drivers of insecurity, such as ideological indoctrination, poverty, and socio-economic marginalization.”
The Coordinator provided a candid assessment of the program’s challenges, noting the cyclical nature of insurgent recruitment.
He revealed that a small fraction, less than 1%—of individuals who complete the deradicalization process have been known to relapse, while new recruits continue to emerge, hindering long-term peacebuilding.
Ali also addressed public misconceptions that the programme is lenient towards former combatants, attributing such views to lack of awareness. He therefore and urged the troops to become champions of a balanced approach that integrates both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
“The non-kinetic processes employed in Nigeria have demonstrably weakened insurgent recruitment networks, fostered community reconciliation, and provided a structured pathway for repentant combatants to reintegrate into society,” he explained.
In his closing remarks, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, reaffirmed the initiative’s strategic value. He described Operation SAFE CORRIDOR as a vital soft-power tool for deradicalizing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating individuals coerced into terrorism.
“Strategic communication is key. It ensures our actions and messaging are aligned with our national security objectives,” Major General Oyinlola said. He charged the participants to return to their units and educate their colleagues on the essential role Operation SAFE CORRIDOR plays in the nation’s overall counterterrorism campaign.
According to a statement by Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 3 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, “an interactive session followed the presentation, allowing participants to engage with the topics discussed. The event concluded with the presentation of souvenirs and a group photograph.”
