The Benue State Government has formally requested the Federal Government’s approval to set up a Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) centre aimed at rehabilitating approximately 400 repentant local bandits, officials said on Monday in Makurdi.
The initiative, part of broader peace-building efforts, was announced by Josephine Habba, Director-General of the Commission for Peace and Reconciliation in the state. She told journalists that biometric profiling by the commission identified over 1,800 individuals linked to banditry, but around 400 have expressed willingness to renounce violence and participate in rehabilitation.
“These individuals are not necessarily hardened criminals; many were coerced into doing dirty jobs for those hiding in the forests. Even pregnant women were abducted and forced to serve as cooks,” Habba said, emphasizing that the programme targets those who were exploited rather than hardened offenders.
The proposed DDR centre, to be located in Logo Local Government Area, is planned as a structured programme lasting six months to one year. Participants would undergo disarmament, psychosocial support, skills training, and livelihood restoration, and receive certificates upon completion.
Habba added that the facility will operate under a military-backed framework, certified and funded by the United Nations, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, is being approached to approve its operationalisation. If established, the centre is expected to draw international attention and strengthen security presence in the region.
The state government said the initiative forms part of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s comprehensive peace strategy, complementing ongoing security operations while aiding the reconstruction of affected communities. A detailed framework for the programme is set to be unveiled at a peace summit on February 25, 2026.
Beyond rehabilitation, Habba noted, the programme aims to restore livelihoods, rebuild schools and hospitals, and ensure the smooth reintegration of participants into their families and communities.
The Federal Government’s response to the request was not immediately available as of Monday.