Operation SAFE CORRIDOR

Established in 2015 and operational by 2016, Operation SAFE CORRIDOR (OPSC) is Nigeria’s main non-kinetic peacebuilding initiative, led by the Chief of Defence Staff with support from over 17 agencies. It provides a structured pathway for repentant insurgents and low-risk armed actors to abandon violence and reintegrate into society.

Built on the DDRR framework—Disengagement, Deradicalization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration—the program ensures a comprehensive transformation process. Participants undergo ideological reorientation, receive psychological support, and acquire vocational skills to enable sustainable livelihoods.

Beyond individual rehabilitation, OPSC promotes regional stability by fostering reconciliation and rebuilding trust between communities and former fighters. By helping to break cycles of violence in Nigeria’s Northeast and Northwest, the program strengthens national security and supports lasting peace across the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel.