Benue moves to rehabilitate 400 repentant bandits, seeks FG approval for DDR centre

The Benue State Government has formally sought Federal Government approval to establish a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) centre to rehabilitate over 400 repentant local bandits in the state.

The Director-General of the Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, Josephine Habba, disclosed this on Monday while speaking with journalists in Makurdi. She said the request was presented to the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, seeking approval to create a DDR centre specifically for bandits of Benue origin.

Habba explained that biometric data conducted by the state identified over 1,800 individuals linked to banditry activities, including abducted women forced into servitude. However, she noted that about 400 individuals have indicated willingness to undergo rehabilitation.

“These persons are not necessarily criminals but were taken to do dirty jobs for those in the forest because the local bandits feared being recognised if they came out themselves. Even pregnant women were abducted and turned into cooks,” she said.

She described the DDR initiative as a military-backed programme funded and certified by the United Nations, adding that its approval would attract international attention and strengthen security presence in the state.

According to Habba, the state will unveil a comprehensive rehabilitation framework at a peace summit scheduled for February 25, 2026. The programme is expected to run between six months and one year, during which participants will undergo structured training and graduate with certificates.

She further disclosed that she and the Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Isaac Dugu, met with the commander of Operation Safe Corridor and later appealed directly to the Chief of Defence Staff for the establishment of the centre.

Following the appeal, the CDS constituted a committee comprising senior military officers to assess the proposed facility. The inspection process has commenced, and the state government is awaiting the committee’s report.

If approved, the rehabilitation centre is expected to be located in Logo Local Government Area and will cost millions of naira.

Habba noted that the Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, established in 2022 and operational since 2023, was created to develop sustainable mechanisms to curb persistent violent attacks and restore lasting peace across Benue communities.