Operation Safe Corridor

Operation SAFE CORRIDOR (OPSC) is Federal Government of Nigeria’s non-kinetic peacebuilding programme, conceived in September 2015 and operationalised in September 2016 to reshape the security landscape in conflict-affected states. Chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff and comprising over 17 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, the programme was established to provide pathways for willing and repentant insurgents as well as other low-risk armed actors to disengage from violence and embrace peace. OPSC delivers a structured process of Disengagement, Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DDRR), carefully aligned with national security priorities and international best practices. More than a mechanism for disarming and transforming ex-combatants, OPSC is a central driver of regional peacebuilding. It reduces cycles of violence, fosters reconciliation, and rebuilds trust between communities and former fighters in Nigeria’s Northeast and Northwest. By combining psychological support, ideological re-orientation, vocational and educational training, and carefully managed reintegration, OPSC restores dignity, creates livelihoods, and enhances resilience at both individual and community levels. Through its holistic approach, the programme not only consolidates Nigeria’s counterinsurgency gains but also contributes to stability and lasting peace across the Lake Chad Basin and wider Sahel region.

Operation Safe Corridor coordinates specialised interventions across rehabilitation, training, and reintegration, with oversight from partner agencies and civilian institutions.