DHQ Reveals Over 60% of Terrorist Fighters Not Ideologically Driven

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that more than 60 percent of terrorists and armed fighters in Nigeria are not motivated by ideology, but are individuals who were coerced, abducted, or caught up in conflict dynamics. The military says this highlights the need for tailored deradicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration programmes to address insecurity across the country.

Brigadier General Yusuf Ali, National Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), revealed during a press briefing in Abuja that many individuals surrendering from armed groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter factions are low-risk combatants often forced into violent networks due to survival, economic pressures, or coercion. According to OPSC data, thousands of former fighters have been successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into society since the programme’s inception in 2016.

Launched in 2016, Operation Safe Corridor is a federal government-led non-kinetic counter-insurgency programme coordinated by the DHQ in collaboration with agencies including the Ministry of Justice and Nigeria Police. The initiative encourages voluntary surrender, provides deradicalisation training, and facilitates reintegration into civilian life.

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General Ali emphasised that the programme is evolving to address regional realities and cater to the specific needs of affected communities. He said new plans include establishing Victims’ Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camps in the North-West and North-Central regions, such as the DRR camp in Tsafe, Zamfara State, and a planned facility in Benue, to help victims of violent extremism recover from trauma, displacement, and loss.

“The programme is evolving to become more victim-sensitive,” Ali said. “Sustainable peace cannot be achieved if victims of conflict feel neglected. Many live with deep psychological scars, and addressing that trauma is as important as rehabilitating ex-combatants.”

The OPSC Coordinator also stressed that misconceptions about the programme persist. He clarified that OPSC is not amnesty, not a shortcut to evade justice, and not a recruitment pathway into the Armed Forces. The government is working to enhance public understanding through stakeholder engagement, media campaigns, and partnerships with agencies such as the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.

Experts say that understanding that the majority of fighters are not ideologically committed could help shape more effective deradicalisation and reintegration strategies, addressing root causes like coercion, poverty, lack of education, and social exclusion. The DHQ’s findings underscore the importance of combining military operations with community-focused rehabilitation to achieve lasting peace in conflict-affected regions.

DHQ Reveals Over 60% of Terrorist Fighters Not Ideologically Driven

Fire Engulfs Yaba Market in Lagos, Traders Suffer Huge Losses

A major fire outbreak has ravaged a popular market in the Yaba area of Lagos State, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira and causing panic among traders and residents. The blaze reportedly started in the early hours of Saturday around 3 a.m., quickly spreading across several sections of the market.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with thick smoke and flames consuming parts of the market near the Popo section. Traders and locals desperately tried to salvage their belongings, but much of the property was lost in the inferno. Videos circulating on social media captured the intensity of the fire and the frantic efforts of residents to control it.

An eyewitness, identified as Lugar Feliz during a TikTok livestream, said firefighters were on the scene but faced challenges in containing the blaze, with claims that some fire trucks lacked sufficient water. Several social media users on X (formerly Twitter) raised alarms about the incident, sharing videos and updates as the fire spread.

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Traders affected by the fire lamented the financial losses. One resident, Adeoluwa, said he woke up to find shops behind his completely razed, estimating that billions of naira worth of goods may have been destroyed. Other reports suggest that hundreds of traders lost merchandise, highlighting the devastating economic impact on small business owners.

As of now, the cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, have not released an official statement on the full extent of damage or whether there were casualties. The incident adds to a growing trend of market fires in Lagos, often attributed to poor infrastructure, overcrowded stalls, and inadequate fire safety measures.

Affected traders are now calling for improved emergency response systems, better fire safety protocols, and stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent future disasters in crowded commercial hubs like Yaba.

Fire Engulfs Yaba Market in Lagos, Traders Suffer Huge Losses

Gunmen Kill Three in Jos Community Hours After Tinubu Visit

Gunmen have again struck in Jos, killing three residents just hours after the visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Plateau State, deepening concerns over rising insecurity in Plateau and the effectiveness of ongoing security measures.

The latest attack occurred in Nyamgo Gyel, a community in Jos South Local Government Area, where residents said the victims were ambushed by armed men while returning home—highlighting a troubling pattern of attacks in Plateau communities.

The victims were identified as Luka Sandu Pam, 36, Samuel Davou, 38, and Deme Saidu, 35. They were reportedly riding on a motorbike when the assailants opened fire on them at close range, killing them instantly and leaving families devastated.

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Eyewitness accounts revealed that the victims were among a group of about 15 young men who had earlier gone to a mining site in Gero. Trouble began as they made their way back home and unknowingly walked into an ambush.

The Youth Leader of Gyel community, Dung Davou, confirmed the incident, describing it as sudden and chaotic.

“We started hearing sporadic gunshots, and everyone scattered. Unfortunately, three of our people were killed,” he said.

He alleged that the attackers were suspected armed herdsmen and condemned what he described as repeated and unprovoked attacks on the community. He called on security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further loss of lives.

Security sources in Plateau State have yet to release an official statement on the latest killings, but local residents say fear and tension have intensified, especially in rural settlements where such attacks often occur without warning.

The incident comes shortly after President Tinubu’s visit to the state capital, Jos, where he met with stakeholders and reassured citizens of the federal government’s commitment to restoring peace following a series of deadly attacks.

Despite these assurances, the renewed violence has raised fresh questions about security response effectiveness in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a region long plagued by farmer-herder clashes, banditry, and communal conflicts.

Community leaders are now calling for increased military deployment, improved intelligence gathering, and stronger collaboration between security agencies and local vigilantes to curb the escalating violence.

In a related development, at least 10 people were reportedly killed and several others injured after gunmen attacked Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area last Sunday—one of several recent incidents underscoring the fragile security situation in the state.

Observers warn that continued attacks could worsen the humanitarian situation and displace more residents if urgent and sustained security interventions are not implemented.

Gunmen Kill Three in Jos Community Hours After Tinubu Visit