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Recently, the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, made a case for the reintegration of ‘repentant’ terrorists into the society as well as granting them amnesty. The governor reasoned that some of the repentant terrorists who surrendered to troops recently were innocent people conscripted to join the Boko Haram sect, while some were teenagers.
Zulum, whose state has mostly borne the brunt of the 12-year-old insurgency, noted that turning down the repented insurgents poses the challenge of some of them returning to their ugly past. The governor also argued that unless Nigeria wants to continue with an endless war, there is no reason for it to reject those that are willing to surrender.
The governor’s call is sequel to the reported surrender of over 3,000 terrorists to the military in Nigeria and Cameroon. Out of the number, 1,816 reportedly surrendered to Nigerian troops in Borno State. The Nigerian spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on August 10, announced that no fewer than 1,000 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province members had laid down their arms and surrendered to the troops.
On August 16, the Army said 186 Boko Haram members led by their Amir, Manye Aga, comprising 67 adult males, 54 adult females and 65 children, had surrendered. So far, about 3,116 Boko Haram fighters, commanders, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) manufacturers, and their families from the forests and hilltops of Sambisa, Lake Chad fringes and Cameroon have surrendered to the military engaged in the anti-insurgency war.
However, there are fears over the genuineness or otherwise of their repentance. Besides, many Nigerians are opposed to granting amnesty to terrorists, whether repented or not. They believe that those who have killed many Nigerians and destroyed some public buildings do not deserve such red carpet treatment.
The pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has kicked against the reintegration of repentant Boko Haram insurgents into the society and called for their trial. The National Chairman of the group, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the repentant Boko Haram members should be prosecuted for the crimes committed against Nigerians and the society.
We join the ACF in calling for the trial of the repentant insurgents. Since terrorism is rooted in extreme ideology, it is not easy for terrorists to renounce their belief, which is a matter of life and death. Their recent surrender does not necessarily mean that they will not return to terrorism again. While the government must exercise extra caution in handling the matter, the relevant authorities must ensure that the repentant insurgents are profiled and prosecuted. Putting them on trial will assist to ascertain their roles in the lingering insurgency.
Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. Since its emergence in 2009, the group has launched attacks on Nigerians, which led to deaths of thousands of people and destruction of public buildings. The group has also attacked worship centres, markets, schools, farms, hospitals, police and military formations. Some of their members have also engaged in suicide bombings, abduction of students, raids on villages and kidnap of travelers, among other criminal activities.
An estimated 500,000 people have been killed by the insurgents since they began their murderous campaigns. In Borno State alone, over 100,000 people have been killed since the inception of the insurgency. The group has also displaced over three million Nigerians from their homes and has contributed to food crisis and famine in the North East region, as farmers could no longer farm. The North East currently accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the 13 million out-of-school children in the country due to the insurgency.
These are not issues the government can easily overlook. And not subjecting the surrendered fighters to trial can offend the feelings of families of victims and devastated communities. Without justice, giving the repentant terrorists amnesty will not guarantee peace in the region. The government must ensure that the terrorists are given fair and speedy trial to ensure justice for all. The way government handles the matter will demonstrate its avowed commitment to ending the terror war.
Good enough, the military has ruled out the integration of the insurgents into the armed forces as being mooted in some quarters. Therefore, let all the surrendered terrorists be diligently prosecution in accordance with the laws of the land.
