CISLAC commends Zamfara’s ‘operation safe corridor’, urges comprehensive implementation

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal for launching Operation Safe Corridor, a non-kinetic initiative aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant bandits.

The programme, modeled after a successful initiative in the North-East that targeted Boko Haram defectors, is designed to provide a structured pathway for disarmament, demobilization, de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former insurgents and bandits

CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, in a statement praised the shift towards non-kinetic approaches, emphasising the need for comprehensive rehabilitation and socio-economic empowerment to prevent re-radicalization.

“We welcome this bold step by Governor Lawal, as it aligns with our advocacy for non-kinetic solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges,” Rafsanjani stated. “However, to ensure effectiveness, we urge the government to implement comprehensive rehabilitation and socio-economic empowerment programs before reintegrating repentant bandits.”

Additionally, CISLAC called on the Zamfara State Government to intensify efforts to disrupt the cycle of banditry at various stages, including ideation, recruitment, indoctrination, and violence. The organization also encouraged public-private partnerships to enhance community awareness and counter-extremism education.

It further stressed the importance of providing psycho-social support, compensation, and reconstruction for victims of banditry to alleviate trauma and mitigate socio-economic losses. It concluded by urging the Federal Government to collaborate closely with Zamfara State to ensure the successful implementation of Operation Safe Corridor.

Governor Lawal had emphasised that his administration will continue to support security efforts while offering unconditional surrender opportunities to bandits. “For those of them who intend to surrender their arms unconditionally and willingly, they are free to do so,” he noted.

Major General EV Onumajuru, representing the Chief of Defence Staff, had highlighted the initiative’s significance in curbing terrorism through rehabilitation, emphasizing the need for synergy with local stakeholders.

Representative of the National Security Adviser, Mairo Abbas, had stressed the importance of de-radicalizing and rehabilitating families of repentant bandits to ensure they become responsible citizens.