Repentant Terrorist: It Should Not Be Ignored, No Society Can Win With The Military Alone -Adewale
Hon. Stephen Adewale, former Ondo State chairman of the Social Democratic Party, has urged caution over the Federal Government’s policy to reintegrate repentant terrorists after they complete six months of de‑radicalisation and vocational training, according to report by VANGUARD on Saturday April 18 2026.
Speaking on the policy, Adewale said that deradicalisation and reintegration should not be rejected outright because military action alone cannot end a prolonged conflict. He described the government’s Operation Safe Corridor as a non‑military measure intended to complement security operations.
In his view, reintegration must be implemented with extreme care, transparency, and accountability. He warned that communities that endured violence will understandably be wary, and that the government must take those fears seriously rather than dismiss them. Adewale stressed that reintegration without credible oversight could erode public trust and reopen old wounds.
In Adewale’s words,
”My view is that the policy of deradicalisation and reintegration should not be dismissed outright, because no society can win a long conflict by military force alone.
