On re-integration of repentant Boko Haram members

Thank you Mal. Yakubu Mohammed for the piece on reintegration of  Boko Haram members into the society. Indeed the matter should be handled carefully. Some measures and steps are required to be taken before granting pardon to the captured terrorists. There must be re-socialisation, re-education and rehabilitation. It’s a long and tedious process. You can’t […]

Thank you Mal. Yakubu Mohammed for the piece on reintegration of  Boko Haram members into the society. Indeed the matter should be handled carefully. Some measures and steps are required to be taken before granting pardon to the captured terrorists.

There must be re-socialisation, re-education and rehabilitation. It’s a long and tedious process. You can’t just simply believe their mere utterance of regrets and assume that they are now clean. Some of them carried out so many dehumanizing acts like killing their parents and siblings, raping their friends and aunties.

Also, did the government get the consent of the people that were attacked before pardoning the culprits?  The act of terrorism must end and the traumatized people reassured of safety and security before the talk of amnesty can have any space, not when there are still some attacks from the Boko Haram members. It will take a while after the insurgency before normalcy can return to the areas that have been under the control of Boko Haram. Therefore the federal government must create a rehabilitation camp,  well guarded, staffed by sociologists, physicians  and experts on psychology.

Dr. Saidu Samaila sent in this piece