“Like Prodigal Son, Terrorists Deserve Rehabilitation”: Defence Chief Backs Reintegration Over Death Penalty

The Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, has said that individuals involved in terrorism in Nigeria’s North-East should be given room for rehabilitation if they choose to abandon violence, rather than facing automatic execution.

He made the remarks during an inaugural lecture organised for the newly established Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Abuja.

Oluyede referenced the military’s Operation Safe Corridor programme, noting public concerns about the reintegration of former insurgents. According to him, while some Nigerians believe offenders should be killed due to the scale of violence they have caused, the state should still provide an avenue for surrender and reintegration.

He drew a comparison with the biblical story of the prodigal son, arguing that the possibility of return is what makes repentance meaningful.

He stressed that many of those involved in insurgency are Nigerian citizens and should not be denied the opportunity to reform if they willingly renounce violence.

He also said the framework for rehabilitation currently operates under the Defence Headquarters, and suggested that broader legislative engagement may be needed to strengthen the programme.

The comments have drawn critical responses on social media, with users questioning the policy direction amid continued insecurity and civilian casualties.

Recent incidents continue to underscore the scale of the conflict. In Borno State, more than 20 people were reportedly killed in a recent attack attributed to insurgents. Separately, authorities were reported to have spent about ₦10 billion to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, according to AFP.

Nigeria’s long-running insurgency is closely linked to the activities of Boko Haram, which has been active since 2009. The United Nations Development Programme has previously estimated that hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the North-East conflict, with children forming a significant proportion of the victims.