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The Defence Headquarters has denied claims circulating on social media that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Olufemi Oluyede, prioritises leniency for terrorists over justice for victims.
In a statement on Thursday, Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, said the social media posts “deliberately distorted the remarks of the Chief of Defence Staff regarding Operation SAFE CORRIDOR” and used “a framing strategy that selectively amplifies certain phrases while ignoring the full context.”
Uba said that Operation Safe Corridor is not an amnesty programme but “a carefully structured deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration initiative targeted strictly at surrendered, screened and low-risk former combatants.”
He added that the programme “forms part of a broader counter-insurgency strategy combining kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.”
On the misinterpretation of the CDS’s comments, Uba said, “The comments by the CDS were made within the context of a professional military doctrine lecture, emphasising the importance of multi-dimensional conflict resolution.
“His remarks highlighted global best practices where rehabilitation complements battlefield successes, not replaces them. Any attempt to frame these remarks as sympathy for terrorists is a gross misinterpretation.”
The Defence Headquarters also reaffirmed that the Nigerian Armed Forces “remain unequivocally committed to neutralising active terrorists and protecting law-abiding citizens”.
It noted that military leadership continues to direct “aggressive operations across various theatres of conflict.”
Uba also noted that the programme addresses “a different category of individuals; those who have voluntarily disengaged and met strict profiling criteria” and that deradicalisation is “a tool to reduce recruitment pipelines and break cycles of violence.”
The military urged the public to “disregard sensational and out-of-context interpretations of official statements,” rely on “verified channels for accurate information on military operations,” and continue to support “ongoing military efforts aimed at restoring lasting peace and security across the country.”
RE: MISREPRESENTATION OF THE CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF’S REMARKS ON OPERATION SAFE CORRIDOR
The attention of Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a misleading narrative circulating on social media, particularly a Facebook post which deliberately distorted the remarks of the Chief… pic.twitter.com/5QjRu1qrvd
— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DHQNigeria) March 26, 2026
