Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has announced a significant achievement in the country’s ongoing battle against terrorism, revealing that the military, in partnership with the federal government and international organizations, has successfully rescued 60,000 children born to Boko Haram terrorists. This initiative aims to shield these children from extremist indoctrination and provide them with a future outside of violence.
General Musa made the announcement during a visit by a delegation from the Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. During his remarks, he highlighted the importance of a united front in the fight against terrorism in the broader Sahel region.
Since the beginning of 2023, more than 120,000 terrorists and their families have voluntarily surrendered, with half of them being children. These children, many born into a life of violence and conflict, are now being taken to safe camps where they can be rehabilitated, educated, and given the chance to reintegrate into society.
“These children were born into violence, and if left in that environment, they would grow into the next generation of extremists,” General Musa warned. “Our mission is to break the cycle of violence and give these children a chance to build a better future.”
The initiative, known as Operation Safe Corridor, is designed to provide a comprehensive solution for those who surrender from terrorist groups like Boko Haram. It focuses on removing children from violent environments and offering them education and vocational training, thus giving them a fresh start in life.
In these safe camps, children are protected from extremist influences while receiving the care and guidance they need to reintegrate into society. General Musa stressed the importance of these efforts, noting that the children are given education and vocational skills that will help them build a future free from violence.
“It’s crucial that we provide these children with the tools to succeed in life,” he said. “Without the proper support, they risk being manipulated into the same violent ideologies that led their parents to join Boko Haram in the first place.”
In his speech, General Musa also highlighted the broader factors that contribute to the spread of terrorism in the Sahel region. He pointed out that many of Boko Haram’s fighters had been either forced into insurgency or manipulated through fear and intimidation.
“Many of these individuals were not driven by ideology but were coerced or misled into joining the insurgency,” he explained. “Our goal is not just to combat the fighters but also to address the root causes of extremism.”
Nigeria’s military has been working closely with state governments, religious leaders, and international partners to encourage voluntary surrender from insurgents. General Musa pointed out that one of the key messages being conveyed to the fighters is that they will not face immediate execution, as their leaders falsely claimed.
“The insurgents are told that they can come out and surrender without fear of being killed,” he said. “This has encouraged many to lay down their arms and return to their communities.”
As Nigeria continues to battle terrorism, General Musa called on neighbouring countries—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—to strengthen their border security and share intelligence to help curb the movement of terrorists across the region. He emphasized that terrorism thrives in areas where governance is weak and where there is a lack of justice.
“We must work together as a region,” he said. “When people feel marginalised, insurgents exploit their grievances. We need to focus on improving economic inclusion and education to prevent terrorism from taking root.”
General Musa also noted that terrorism in the Sahel region is often fueled by issues such as poverty, illiteracy, and criminal networks, including illegal mining and kidnapping. Addressing these underlying issues is critical to preventing the spread of extremist violence in the region.
At the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja, Major General Adamu Laka, the National Coordinator, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to regional military cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He highlighted the role of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in dislodging Boko Haram and other terrorist groups from their strongholds across Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and Benin Republic.
“The MNJTF has been instrumental in our efforts to eliminate terrorist groups and secure the region,” General Laka said. “The cooperation between our countries is vital to ensuring that we can tackle terrorism on a larger scale.”
Aliyu Gebi, the Coordinator of the Fusion Center for Dialogue and Peace Processes, added that while military efforts had succeeded in weakening Boko Haram, achieving lasting peace requires long-term, non-kinetic strategies. He argued that while the military has weakened Boko Haram’s ability to wage war, true peace will only be achieved through sustained political and social efforts.
“We may have won the war against terrorism, but we have not yet won the peace,” Gebi stated. “To ensure lasting stability, we need to continue working together, not just through military action but through sustained counterterrorism efforts, dialogue, and peacebuilding.”
As Nigeria continues its fight against terrorism, the importance of regional cooperation remains crucial. The government’s efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate surrendered terrorists, especially children, into society could provide the foundation for a more peaceful future. However, General Musa warned that defeating terrorism would require more than just military action.
“To achieve long-term peace and stability, we must address the root causes of extremism, including poverty, illiteracy, and marginalisation,” he said. “It’s not just about defeating the terrorists, but about preventing future generations from falling into the same cycle of violence.”
The success of Operation Safe Corridor in rehabilitating children and breaking the cycle of violence offers hope for the future of Nigeria and the Sahel region as a whole. However, the battle against terrorism is far from over.
