Pardoning Over 700 Repentant Terrorists Few Hours After Military Lost Troops in Terror Strike Will Demoralise Soldiers, Deepen Insecurity — Social Commentator
A social commentator has warned that the decision to pardon over 700 repentant terrorists few hours after the military suffered fresh casualties in a terror attack could significantly demoralise troops on the frontlines and undermine ongoing security operations.
A total of 744 repentant terrorists on Wednesday graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camp under Operation Safe Corridor.
Most of the participants were from Borno (597), followed by Yobe (58), Kano (15), Bauchi (12), and Adamawa (10), Abia (2), Akwa Ibom (1), Anambra (2), Ebonyi (3), Enugu (1), Katsina (3), Kebbi (1), Kogi (5), Nasarawa (4), Niger (2), Plateau (2), and Sokoto (2).
The group also included foreign nationals: one each from Burkina Faso and Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from the Niger Republic.
Reacting on X, the commentator Ozor Ndi Ozor @OzorNdiOzor argued that the timing of the pardon sends a conflicting signal to soldiers risking their lives to combat insurgency, raising concerns about morale, motivation, and trust in the broader counterterrorism strategy.
According to him, such actions may weaken the resolve of personnel who expect sustained pressure against armed groups rather than reconciliation measures coming immediately after deadly attacks.
‘’These soldiers lost their lives yesterday, and barely 18 hours later, news of the reintegration of 700 repentant terrorists into society has emerged.
