SERAP urges Senate to drop bill seeking to educate repentant terrorists
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Ahmed Lawan to ensure that the bill seeking foreign education for repentant terrorists is dropped.
In a statement issued by SERAP on Sunday, its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said that the group made the appeal in an open letter to the Senate president on the issue.
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Oluwadare said that the group implored Lawan to ensure that the bill that would allow repentant Boko Haram terrorists opportunities to access public funds to enjoy foreign education is immediately dropped.
The group rather called on the Senate to sponsor bills that would ensure access to justice and reparation for the victims of Boko Haram terrorist group.
“Such bills that would ensure adequate reparations for victims of Boko Haram atrocities and accelerate effective prosecution of alleged repentant Boko Haram members,” the deputy director advised.
According to SERAP, the bill, which has passed first reading at the Senate, would give opportunities to repentant terrorists to receive foreign education including accessing funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and subventions from the government.
The group criticised the bill, saying it eroded justice and made a mockery of the suffering of victims and the unspeakable human tragedy, humanitarian crisis and appalling atrocities committed by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
“By calling Boko Haram members ex-agitators, the bill mocks the victims of appalling atrocities committed by the terrorist group, and is a blatant affront to victims’ dignity,” the group added.
The group maintained that repentant Boko Haram terrorists were not ex-agitators, but were terrorists under Nigerian and international laws, asserting that “Boko Haram members should not be allowed to enjoy foreign education while over 13 million Nigerian children of school age are roaming our streets.
“Alleged perpetrators of gross violations should not get the benefits at the expense of these and other deserving children.
“Rather than allowing perpetrators to access public funds to enjoy foreign education, the senate should be promoting reparation for victims, to prevent future criminality and ensure the best interest of justice.”
