Senate to FG: Stop rehabilitating Boko Haram members, prosecute terrorists
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to end the rehabilitation and reintegration of former Boko Haram members, insisting that individuals involved in terrorism and banditry should be prosecuted instead of being returned to society.
The resolution followed a motion on the worsening security situation sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, during Tuesday’s plenary, according to Vanguard.
Lawmakers condemned the rising wave of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and attacks on communities across the country, describing the security crisis as persistent and increasingly complex.
The Senate also observed a minute of silence in honour of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, and other Nigerians who have lost their lives to terrorism and related violence. It resolved to send a delegation to condole with the deceased’s family, the Katsina State Government and the Nigerian Army.
Presenting the motion, Yar’Adua said the killing of General Abubakar and other retired military officers represented a painful national loss that required urgent government action.
He noted that retired military personnel had become prime targets for terrorists and kidnappers because of their operational and intelligence backgrounds. He cited several attacks on retired officers since 2023 across Zamfara, Imo, Abuja, Katsina, Kogi and Plateau states.
During the debate, Senator Joseph Ikpea called for an immediate halt to the government’s rehabilitation programme for repentant insurgents, arguing that the policy has become a source of concern for many Nigerians.
Former Edo State governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole backed the proposal, saying it was illogical to pardon, rehabilitate and reintegrate criminals while victims and families of fallen security personnel continued to suffer the consequences of insurgent attacks.
Beyond ending the rehabilitation programme, the Senate called for stronger intelligence gathering, improved surveillance, enhanced threat assessment and early warning systems to tackle insecurity.
Lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to deploy modern security technologies, including unmanned aerial systems, geospatial intelligence, integrated command centres and advanced communication systems, while strengthening collaboration with traditional rulers, religious leaders and local communities.
The Senate further called for increased legislative oversight of security agencies by reviewing casualty records, operational responses and the support provided to families of fallen security personnel.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, acknowledged lawmakers’ concerns but praised the efforts of security personnel, saying terrorism remained a global challenge requiring sustained regional cooperation.
Army detains two terrorist commanders
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army announced that two senior terrorist commanders surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
In a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, the Army said the suspects surrendered to troops in Geidam on July 4 before arriving in Maiduguri the following day, where they are currently undergoing profiling, debriefing and intelligence exploitation.
The military identified the suspects as holding senior leadership positions within the terrorist group, adding that preliminary interrogation had already provided valuable intelligence on the group’s operations, logistics and command structure.
According to the Army, the development marks another significant setback for insurgents and validates ongoing military offensives in the North East.
The surrender comes as the Senate pushes for an end to the rehabilitation of former insurgents, raising fresh questions about whether the two commanders will eventually face prosecution or be considered for reintegration after the ongoing debriefing process.
