Should FG rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram members?

The Federal Government just recently took 86 repentant members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect to the Bulumkutu Rehabilitation Centre Maiduguri for rehabilitation. Should the federal government have done that?

Mrs Basirat Akinola, 50, Trader, Osogbo

Rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram members seems to be a waste of time and resources because they might not have surrendered sincerely. They have a rigid mind given their past and the tendency that they will go back to crime is very high. I do not think that the federal government should waste money of the members. The Boko Haram members should be prosecuted under the law.

Gogo Owaji, 56, Building Contractor, Port Harcourt

I am not in support of the rehabilitation of Boko Haram members in whatever way by the Federal Government. How can you grant amnesty to a group of criminals that take up arms against the state, it’s very bad. This group of bandits have killed thousands of Nigerians including our gallant soldiers. The families of those killed by this group of persons are in pain and are still grieving and somebody is talking of rehabilitation. This kind of thing can encourage our youths to toll the same line with the notion that they will be granted amnesty and also be rehabilitated. I’m not in support of it at all.

Dovie Ruthy King, 33, Administrator, Bayelsa

How on earth can a Boko Haram member, because they are now termed ‘ex’, be allowed to live, work and interact in the same society where they have taken the lives of loved ones that can’t replace. That would be too painful. Knowing that this person is a killer. For me, whoever destroys your family, I don’t think it’s safe or wise to live with them. Rehabilitation is not even an option. Prevention is still better than cure please the Federal Government should find another alternative other than reconciliation.

Barry Tosae, 36, Political Analyst, Ibadan

I remain positive. It would be a welcome idea, which would see to the eradication or minimization of unwholesome and ruthless killings in the country. When sect members are rehabilitated, they become functional again, more so, there would be to a better extent, peace within the territorial boundaries of Nigeria, which will engender investment and development in the country.

Umar Mallam Umar, 29, Biu, environmental scientist

As we can all see today, the country is currently experiencing a rise in insurgent attacks. It is getting out of hand. Even if rehabilitation will be an option, it should be long after the security challenges have been defeated, and the communities back to normal. These insurgents should remain detained until everything settles down.

Victoria Chukwu, 28, Entrepreneur, Asaba

The question I want to ask is that, are Boko Haram fighters capable of repentance? This issue is a very delicate one and ought to be treated as one. How sure are we that some members of the sect will not pretend to turn a new leaf just to be rehabilitated. These can make the society we are managing become a breeding ground for spies and recruitment agents. Once a person has killed before I don’t know how easy it would be for the person to turn a new leave, though since God forgives I don’t think it should be a total write off to us. But, very close observation needs to be done so we don’t find ourselves sitting on a time bomb.

Odilichukwu Frances Jombo, 29, Freelance Writer, Lagos

This topic is quite dicey because on the one hand, we have the Constitution/Law that states the penalty for any offence, and on the other hand is the need to know why members of Boko Haram who have been declared a terrorist body by the US in November 13, 2013, is being considered for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation centres are for those who have mental illnesses that affect their behaviour, memory, rationality, communication and every activity controlled by the mind. If Boko Haram falls in this category, they can be rehabilitated, after which the Law takes its course; otherwise, the court should proceed to give BokoHaram’s attack victims justice.

Mr Jare Tiamiyu, 26, Businessman, Osogbo

The Boko Haram members might go back to crime and the efforts in rehabilitating might be a waste. The Federal Government should ensure that Boko Haram is defeated completely in Nigeria. The Government should not spend money on repentant members of Boko Haram so that other criminals would not claim that they surrendered and want rehabilitation.

Hashim Abubakar, 27, Maiduguri, Geographer

I don’t think this is a good idea. For me, returning them to the communities would create more problems. It would give some aggrieved people more opportunities to take vengeance and create disharmony among people. If others are ready to forgive, many others will never forgive them being that they have taken the lives of their loved ones.

Lewis Ebode, 30,
Scholar of Counter-insurgency and Geopolitics, Lagos

Yes, I think the Federal Government should rehabilitate repentant Boko Haram terrorists. Rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists is a global practice and supported by counterinsurgency norms contained in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GA Resolution 60/288). Although sentiments have been whipped in due to the fear of uncertainty and concerns over the quality of the rehabilitation programme, and the unrestrained danger posed by the violent extremists still at large, we must acknowledge that many of these repentant fighters were recruited forcefully by Boko Haram.