Boko Haram repentants’ camp necessary – CAS
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has said the creation of a safe corridor for repentant Boko Haram members was necessary to encourage members who are absconding from the group. Criticism has trailed an announcement, last week, by the Defence Headquarters, that it had set up a camp to facilitate the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members.
But fielding questions at a press conference, at the weekend, in Abuja, on the 52nd anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, Abubakar explained that the plan to rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram members followed intelligence report.
“The whole idea was in response to confirmed intelligence report that large members of the Boko Haram want to stop fighting but were not sure what to do that will guarantee their safety.”
Already, they are divided, some want to stop the fighting, while some others are insisting to continue, he further explained, adding that a large number of Boko Haram members had surrounded.
Abubakar said that “the military tradition demanded that you don’t kill an enemy who surrendered. If they stop killing people, burning houses and villages and come out unarmed. We will profile and subject them to interview on individual bases.”
On whether that meant amnesty, Abubakar said amnesty was a political decision, but in military, an enemy that surrendered was taken into custody.
On the recent Boko Haram new leadership video, the Chief of the Air Staff said the Defence Intelligence agency was analyzing it.
He assured that the insurgency was at its tail end. He maintained that isolated cases of suicide bombing could be stopped if communities could assist the military with information.
The Chief of the Air Staff said the Nigerian Air Force would use the activities lined up to mark this year’s anniversary to appraise efforts to re position NAF through capacity building.
According to him, events marking the NAF 52 anniversary would run from April 12 -15, 2016 culminating in a grand parade in Bauchi.
