Agency for rehabilitation of insurgents unnecessary

One unfortunate legacy that the bill for the establishment of an agency for rehabilitation of members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, will bequeath Nigeria and Nigerians if it eventually passes at the Senate and House of Representatives and gets presidential assent, is an unending reign of terror by insurgent/criminal gangs who will compete in unleashing violence on Nigerians knowing that amnesty awaits them at the end of the day.

Recall that a bill proposing the establishment of a national agency to cater for repentant members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect and other insurgent groups in the country passed first reading on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

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The bill titled “National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De – radicalization and Integration of Repentant Insurgents in Nigeria (Est, etc) Bill, 2020) SB 340), is sponsored by the former governor of Yobe State, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, representing Yobe East.

Extract from the bill reads: “The main aim of this Bill is to among others to provide avenue for rehabilitating, de-radicalizing, educating and reintegrating the defectors, repentant and detained members of the insurgent group, Boko Haram, to make them useful members of the society”.

Geidan, the sponsor of the bill, believes that the agency, if established, will “help disintegrate the violent and poisonous ideology that the group spreads as the programme will enable some convicted or suspected terrorists to express remorse over their actions, repent and recant their violent ideology and re-enter mainstream politics, religion and society”.

While we see nothing wrong in rehabilitating and de-radicalizing repentant members of the insurgent group, as already been carried out by the Nigerian Army in some North East states, we strongly oppose establishing a distinct and permanent national agency for them. Doing so will have a lot of negative implications, including of course giving impetus to insurgents and their backers to continue to terrorize and hold Nigeria to ransom. A permanent agency for repentant Boko Haram members, in our opinion, is also a clear indication that we have surrendered to insurgents and that insurgency is here to stay.

We join therefore join well-meaning Nigerians to condemn this bill  and demand that it be withdrawn immediately as it not only offends the sensibilities of a great percentage of Nigerians who have suffered severely as a result of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, but gives the impression that we are a country that rewards outlaws.

Again, there is already in existence several interventions by the Federal Government targeted at improving the lots of insurgency ravaged states including the North East Development Commission, which we believe should be saddled with the responsibility of de-radicalizing repentant members of the insurgent group in addition to its mandates.

Creating another agency solely for rehabilitating, de-radicalizing, educating and reintegrating defectors, repentant and detained members of Boko Haram, in our opinion, is not only unnecessary but will enlarge the nation’s bureaucracy and aggravate the cost of governance which Nigerians all agree is way too high.

Finally, it is our opinion that Nigeria should not reward outlaws, which the National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De – radicalization and Integration of Repentant Insurgents in Nigeria (Est, etc) Bill, 2020) SB 340) bill may eventually turn out to do. Any move that gives the impression that we are rewarding outlaws, we believe, will ultimately embolden others to toe such path.