A fresh rehabilitation programme is underway in Benue as the state government is seeking Federal Government approval to establish a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) centre for 400 repentant local bandits.
The Director-General of the Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, Josephine Habba, made the disclosure on Monday while addressing journalists in Makurdi.
According to her, the initiative is designed to reform individuals who became foot soldiers for criminal elements under pressure and circumstance.
She revealed that the state has formally written to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, requesting approval to set up the DDR centre for bandits of Benue origin.
“These persons are not necessarily criminals but were taken in to do dirty jobs for those in the forest because they know that if they (local bandits) come out, they would be recognised, so they needed foot soldiers.
“Even pregnant women were abducted and turned into their cooks. The number of people from the biometrics we have done is over 1,800, but 400 are willing to be rehabilitated.”
Habba explained that the DDR programme is a military initiative certified and funded by the United Nations. She noted that establishing the centre would not only attract global attention but also increase troop deployment to Benue.
“My commission has worked out a plan which will be unveiled at a peace summit on Wednesday, 25th February 2026, that captures everything and ensures that these people graduate and are given certificates.
“The programme will run for six months to one year. While they are there, the committee will engage in community resilience, identify livelihoods that were destroyed, restore them, compensate where needed, and ensure schools and hospitals are rebuilt for a seamless reintegration of these people into their families,” she said.
She added that consultations are already ongoing at the highest levels.
“The Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Bishop Isaac Dugu and I went to the commander of the Safe Corridor.
“We also recommended to the governor to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff and request this DDR centre. The CDS said he will set up a committee to assess the facility that the governor has put in place. If it is befitting, they will work on the committee’s recommendation.”
The proposed centre is expected to be located in Logo Local Government Area and will cost millions of naira.
Benue, long plagued by farmer-herder clashes and violent bandit attacks, has witnessed killings, abductions and mass displacement over the years.
Many young men, according to officials, were coerced into criminal networks, while women and children were forced into support roles.
Now, with 400 individuals reportedly willing to surrender and reintegrate, the state is betting on rehabilitation as a pathway to lasting peace.
