Odita Sunday 
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted the Federal Government’s plan to reintegrate 744 repentant terrorists into society, warning that the policy could endanger national security and undermine justice.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the group described the move as a “perilous state policy.”
The Federal Government had recently announced that 744 individuals who underwent deradicalisation under Operation Safe Corridor would be returned to communities after completing rehabilitation.
The disclosure was made at a graduation ceremony in Gombe State, where military authorities said the programme forms part of non-kinetic approaches to counter insurgency.
Authorities said the initiative includes psychosocial support, vocational training, religious reorientation and civic education, stressing that it is not an amnesty programme.
However, HURIWA said the explanation does not address core concerns about justice and accountability.
The group argued that reintegrating individuals linked to violent extremism without transparent judicial processes could create distrust among communities and victims.
“What the Federal Government has effectively done is to normalise the reinsertion of individuals linked to mass violence into fragile communities without transparent judicial accountability,” the statement said.
HURIWA expressed concern that victims of terrorism—many of whom remain displaced or traumatised—have not received adequate justice or compensation.
It warned that the programme could weaken deterrence against terrorism and send the wrong signal that violent extremism may be treated with leniency.
The group also listed possible consequences, including fear among host communities, erosion of trust, and the risk of re-radicalisation.
HURIWA called for the immediate suspension of the programme and urged the government to disclose details of beneficiaries and their risk profiles.
It further demanded evidence of legal proceedings for each individual and the establishment of a comprehensive victim support framework.
The group also advocated independent monitoring of any reintegration process involving civil society and security experts.
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