Groups Back Senate’s Resolution Against Boko Haram Members’ Rehabilitation

Several groups and stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the Senate’s call on the executive to stop rehabilitating repentant Boko Haram members.

According to them, the Senate’s resolution reflected the growing concern of Nigerians over the persistent insecurity and the devastating impact of terrorism on citizens, security personnel and national stability.

The Senate yesterday called on the Federal Government to discontinue the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members when it adopted a motion condemning the escalating attacks, kidnappings and killings of serving and retired military personnel across the country.

The resolution followed the adoption of an additional prayer during the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, which was prompted by the recent abduction and death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who died in captivity after being kidnapped alongside his wife in Katsina State.

Leading the debate, Yar’Adua described the nation’s worsening security situation as a national emergency, lamenting the increasing attacks on military personnel by terrorists and criminal gangs.

“The death of the retired Major General and others in the custody of terrorists represents not only personal tragedies but also a painful national loss and a stark reminder of the scale and persistence of insecurity confronting the nation,” he said.

The lawmaker warned that terrorists had become increasingly sophisticated and emboldened, extending their attacks beyond civilian communities to serving and retired military officers.

“The increasing frequency with which serving and retired military personnel are being targeted by criminal and terrorist groups represents a dangerous evolution in the nation’s security challenges,” Yar’Adua added.

Seconding the motion, Senator Osita Izunaso described the killings as disturbing and urged security agencies to go beyond routine responses by ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.

“We have to mandate them to ensure that these people are arrested because we are all following the incident. The perpetrators must be arrested and brought to book,” he said.

Also contributing, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, painted a grim picture of the country’s security situation, saying even public officials protected by the government were no longer safe.

“It’s becoming increasingly dangerous for people, even like us who are protected by the government, to move around the roads these days,” Moro said.

The lawmaker narrated how a professor was recently shot dead near a police checkpoint in Benue State.

“They just shot him dead right there, very close to a police checkpoint. If people can conveniently be killed like that, then it becomes increasingly scary that we are all walking corpses,” he lamented.

Moro called on the Senate leadership to urgently meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to convey lawmakers’ concerns about the deteriorating security situation.

Senator Abdul Ningi, in his contribution, urged the National Assembly to exercise its constitutional oversight responsibilities more effectively, questioning the continued occupation of parts of the country by criminal groups.

“Is this country at war? If we are not at war, why are non-government bodies controlling parts of this country?” he asked.

He also challenged the Senate to investigate the number of security personnel killed across the country and the support available to their families.

Responding to the debate, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin defended the efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, saying personnel had continued to make enormous sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

“Our men in uniform are doing their best. They are working very hard,” Barau said.

He noted that terrorism and banditry had become regional challenges affecting several West African countries.

“The issue of banditry and terrorism has a global dimension. The entire West African region is confronted with this sad reality, from Mali to Burkina Faso, Niger and beyond.”

He maintained that the Federal Government was making significant efforts to tackle insecurity.

As lawmakers considered additional prayers to the motion, Senator Joseph Ikpea proposed that the Federal Government should discontinue programmes aimed at rehabilitating repentant Boko Haram members.

Supporting the proposal, Senator Adams Oshiomhole declared that: “it does not make even common sense to grant pardon and rehabilitate criminals.”

The red chamber also urged the Federal Government to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the killing of the late Major General Abubakar. It mandated the Senate leadership to meet with President Tinubu on the country’s security challenges.

It called for strengthened intelligence gathering, surveillance operations, community-based security partnerships and the deployment of modern security technologies to combat terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

CSOs, Others Back Call

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) welcomed the resolution of the Senate calling on the Federal Government to discontinue the rehabilitation programme for repentant Boko Haram members, while condemning the increasing attacks, kidnappings, and killings of serving and retired military personnel across the country.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the continued targeting of members of the armed forces underscores the urgent need to reassess existing counterterrorism policies and strengthen measures that effectively protect those who risk their lives in defence of the nation.

“CISLAC believes that any policy aimed at addressing violent extremism must be anchored on justice, accountability, transparency, and the interests of victims and affected communities.

“While efforts to encourage defections from terrorist groups may have strategic value under carefully defined legal and security frameworks, such initiatives must never undermine accountability for grave crimes or erode public confidence in the justice system,” he said.

Rafsanjani noted that the rehabilitation of former insurgents has remained a subject of significant public concern, particularly where victims and host communities perceive that justice has not been adequately served.

“Sustainable peace can only be achieved when policies strike an appropriate balance between national security objectives, the rule of law, victims’ rights, and community safety,” he said.

Rafsanjani called on the Federal Government to undertake a comprehensive review of all deradicalisation and reintegration programmes to ensure they are transparent, evidence-based, and not empowering those who have committed atrocities against fellow citizens.

“Again, this process must be subject to independent oversight and fully compliant with Nigeria’s legal obligations and international human rights standards.

“Furthermore, the government should prioritise strengthening intelligence gathering, improving the welfare and operational capacity of security personnel, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and providing adequate support for victims of terrorism and the families of fallen security officers.

“Greater investment in community-based early warning systems and conflict prevention mechanisms will also contribute significantly to addressing the root causes of violent extremism.

“CISLAC commends the Senate for responding to earlier calls drawing national attention to the worsening security situation and reiterates that protecting the lives of Nigerians, upholding justice, and restoring public confidence in national security institutions must remain central to all government responses to terrorism and violent extremism.

“Finally, we urge all relevant stakeholders to work collaboratively in developing a coherent, accountable, and people-centred national security strategy that guarantees justice for victims while safeguarding Nigeria’s long-term peace, security, and stability,” the CISLAC boss added.

Also, the executive director of CREAP Africa Initiative, Sylvanus Udoenoh, said the Senate’s call reflected growing public frustration over the worsening security situation in the country.

He told LEADERSHIP that many Nigerians, particularly victims of insurgency and families of fallen security personnel, have consistently questioned the moral and strategic basis of rehabilitating former insurgents. At the same time, communities continue to suffer attacks and military personnel continue to lose their lives.

Udoenoh, however, said the debate should go beyond emotion to evidence, adding that: “Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) programmes are recognised internationally as legitimate post-conflict tools, but they only succeed when they are transparent, victim-centred, properly monitored, and implemented within a broader security and justice framework.

“If there is credible evidence that the programme is failing to reduce recidivism, strengthen intelligence gathering, or improve national security, then the government has a responsibility to review or discontinue it. At the same time, simply ending rehabilitation without a credible alternative strategy could create new security risks.

“The real priority should be restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy. The government must demonstrate that justice for victims, protection of citizens, and support for security personnel remain paramount.

“Rehabilitation should never be perceived as rewarding perpetrators while victims are neglected. Any future policy must strike a careful balance between national security, accountability, reconciliation where appropriate, and the rights and welfare of those who have borne the greatest cost of terrorism.”

A political scientist and lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Dr Christian Okeke, described the Senate’s resolution calling for the discontinuation of the alleged rehabilitation and integration of repentant Boko Haram members into the Nigerian military as a welcome development.

Okeke, in an interview with LEADERSHIP, said the Senate’s intervention represents one of the most significant steps taken in recent times to address the country’s security challenges. However, he stressed that the resolution would only have a meaningful impact if lawmakers ensured its implementation through sustained legislative oversight.

According to him, the alleged reintegration of former insurgents into the military demonstrates a poor understanding of human behaviour and undermines national security despite repeated concerns raised by Nigerians.

He expressed disappointment that the Senate had taken years to address the issue, noting that many citizens had long questioned the policy without receiving the needed legislative attention.

“It is sad that the Senate is just waking up to see what the majority of Nigerians identified a long time ago,” Okeke said, adding that the National Assembly had previously failed to take decisive legislative action despite widespread public criticism.

The political scientist suggested that the renewed attention to the matter may have been influenced by the growing impact of insecurity on members of the political and security elite, with more influential Nigerians now becoming victims of violent attacks.

Beyond the issue of repentant insurgents, Okeke urged the Senate to intensify pressure on the executive to tackle the country’s worsening security situation, including the rising incidents of kidnapping, ransom payments and the expansion of criminal networks operating from forests across the country.

He called on lawmakers to utilise all constitutional mechanisms available to ensure greater executive accountability and address the root causes of insecurity.

Okeke also warned that no segment of society is insulated from the country’s security crisis, stressing that the continued loss of lives and migration of skilled Nigerians demand urgent and decisive action.

He urged the Senate not to relent until Nigeria’s borders are effectively secured and the socio-economic conditions fuelling insecurity are addressed.

According to him, with many vulnerable Nigerians losing confidence in the system, the Senate now has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership by driving meaningful reforms that will restore public trust and improve national security.

Similarly, the Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative (IADI) said the Senate’s call on the Federal Government to discontinue the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members reflects growing public concern over the persistent insecurity across Nigeria and the continued attacks on civilians and security personnel.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Ofomhi Christopher, the organisation said the Senate’s position highlights the need for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy to ensure that national security remains the country’s overriding priority.

According to IADI, while deradicalisation programmes may have a role in addressing violent extremism, such initiatives must not undermine justice or create the impression that individuals involved in terrorism are receiving preferential treatment over victims and the families of security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The group urged the Federal Government to strike a balance between rehabilitation, accountability and the protection of innocent Nigerians, stressing that security policies should reinforce public confidence in the nation’s justice system.

IADI also cited the recent abduction and death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar as a painful reminder of the country’s security challenges, noting that the incident underscores the need for more decisive measures to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve security operations and provide better protection for citizens and those who have served the nation.

The organisation maintained that Nigeria’s security policies must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to justice, accountability and lasting peace, adding that restoring public confidence requires a strategy that prioritises the safety of citizens while ensuring those responsible for acts of terrorism are held accountable.

For its part, the Women Inclusion, Empowerment and Leadership Development Initiative (WIELD-I) urged the Federal Government to ensure that all counterterrorism policies are transparent, accountable, and driven by the overall interests of national security.

The Executive Director of WIELD-I, Comrade Amarachi Okeke, in an interview, said the development has renewed discussions on the need for Nigeria to maintain a careful balance between security, justice and rehabilitation in its response to terrorism and violent extremism.

She noted that while initiatives aimed at reforming individuals who have genuinely renounced violence may have a role in addressing extremism, such programmes must be carefully designed and implemented to protect national interests and rebuild public confidence.

According to her, the experiences and concerns of victims, affected communities and families of fallen security personnel must remain central to decisions taken on counterterrorism policies.

“The Federal Government must ensure that every counterterrorism policy is transparent, accountable and in the best interest of national security,” Okeke said.

She stressed that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without policies that uphold justice and adequately recognise the suffering of Nigerians affected by terrorist activities.

The WIELD-I executive director added that restoring trust in government requires a security approach that prioritises protecting citizens, accountability for wrongdoing, and the pursuit of lasting peace.

Okeke urged stakeholders involved in national security policymaking to ensure that measures adopted to fight terrorism reflect Nigerians’ concerns and aspirations while strengthening confidence in the country’s security framework.