Date : 28 May 2025
Terrorism in Nigeria: Evolving Strategies and Reintegration Policies
In response to the persistent attacks by terrorist groups across Nigeria, the government is increasingly turning to reintegration policies as a way to address the root causes of violence. While early initiatives in the 2000s yielded promising results, long-term solutions are still needed to prevent recidivism and curb the recruitment of new fighters.
The Nigerian government has incorporated militant groups into its broader counterterrorism strategy, identifying them as threats to national security. In 2009, President Goodluck Jonathan launched an amnesty program aimed at ending the insurgency led by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). The initiative focused on the social and economic reintegration of former fighters, offering monthly stipends of up to $200 for those who renounced violence. Around 30,000 ex-militants benefited from the program.
In 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari, upon taking office, announced a gradual phase-out of the amnesty program. However, the resurgence of attacks—particularly by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), an armed group formed in 2016 calling for a fairer redistribution of oil revenues—forced his administration to reconsider. The NDA eventually agreed to consider a conditional ceasefire.
The program was thus extended and redirected to focus on the disarmament of both the NDA and MEND. The government maintained support for the social and economic reintegration of their members, seeking to stabilize this strategic oil-rich region.
But the armed insurgency in the Delta is only one aspect of Nigeria’s broader security crisis. Over the years, insecurity has worsened. In response, President Bola Tinubu has launched counterterrorism operations involving special forces battalions. All police units have been mobilized, including those typically assigned to VIP protection, now deployed in the streets.
Rehabilitation as a Weapon Against Terrorism in Nigeria
In parallel, the Nigerian government has launched rehabilitation programs targeting terrorist groups. One such initiative is “Operation Safe Corridor,” which focuses on reintegrating former Boko Haram fighters. Operational since 2016, the program aims to deradicalize Islamist militants.
“Safe Corridor” is based on five pillars: disarmament, demobilization, deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration. More than just a security strategy, the initiative represents a social approach to counterinsurgency. It is aimed at repentant fighters who voluntarily surrender. Upon surrender, these individuals are transferred to detention centers under harsh conditions. The program faces challenges, including overcrowded facilities and delays in the rehabilitation process. Some detainees remain in custody for up to three years, with several dying from malnutrition. Survivors are eventually moved to a facility in Gombe State, where they receive vocational training and literacy education to support their reintegration.
According to Brigadier General Yusuff Ali, coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, around 2,190 former Boko Haram fighters have been reintegrated into Nigerian society since 2016. Among them, 27 foreign nationals have been repatriated.
This reintegration policy is now expanding across the Northwest, including the states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara. The government considers deradicalization programs a vital tool for breaking the cycle of terrorism in Nigeria.
However, security experts argue that such programs are insufficient to eliminate the terrorist threat. Doubts remain about the effectiveness of reintegration, with some former combatants returning to criminal activity, lured by the lucrative prospects of kidnapping and theft. Understanding the individual and contextual motivations behind a fighter’s surrender is essential to adapting the program. Moreover, public outrage is growing over the fact that some former militants, including those responsible for serious human rights abuses, escape prosecution.
Terrorist Groups Behind Nigeria’s Security Crisis
Nigeria faces various forms of violence throughout its territory. In the northeast, the jihadist group Boko Haram, active since the early 2000s, has terrorized the region. Founded by Mohammed Yusuf, the group rejects Western values and seeks to establish an Islamic state. Since 2009, Boko Haram’s attacks have killed thousands and displaced millions.
In the northwest, armed groups commonly referred to as “bandits” carry out widespread violence against civilians, including kidnappings and raids on villages, contributing to deep instability.
In addition, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a splinter faction of Boko Haram affiliated with the Islamic State since 2015, has carried out numerous deadly attacks, especially in the Lake Chad region.
The northeastern Lake Chad Basin remains a particularly volatile area, with frequent clashes between security forces and extremist groups. Stabilizing this region requires not only military coordination but also improvements to living conditions for local populations.
In the broader Sahel region, member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—namely Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—have recently pledged to join forces against similar security threats. Whether reintegration programs similar to Nigeria’s can help reduce the long-term influence of armed groups across the region remains an open question.