Boko Haram: Senator Ndume Slams FG For Rewarding Fighters |The Source

By Ola Samuel

Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South in the Nigerian Senate has slammed the state and federal government’s decision to re-integrate over 600 repentant members of killer Islamic group, Boko Haram in to the society.

Ndume’s outburst came on the crest of public angst against the government for pardoning the terrorists, known to have killed many Nigerians, including women and children in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in their quest to establish an Islamic caliphate.

Some of the fighters released in the past were said to have rejoined the Abubakar Shekau-led terror group, unleashing a new round of mayhem on the besieged communities, raising fears that those released newly are likely to do the same.

The Borno state government, on Sunday, announced that the former fighters have been given N20,000 each to begin a new life.

But speaking on a TVC programme on Monday, Senator Ndume said it was too early to release the fighters, adding that they should have been kept in custody for a while to really find out whether they have indeed repented of their crime.

Ndume, the Senate Committee Chairman on Army said the people of Borno and other North east state where the terrorists committed most of the bloodshed are not happy that those that killed their loved ones have now been made free men.

He said the people of the state are still living with the horror that the terrorists “killed over 1000 persons in Bama and dumped their bodies” in a mass grave.

He cited the United States of America, USA who after several years of capturing Al qaeda terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to release them into public life.

The captured terrorists, he said, are “still in Guantanamo Prison” several years after they were captured by USA soldiers.

Borno state commissioner of information, Babakura Shatau, while speaking on Sunday said the repentant terrorists had been given starter packs by the North East Development Commission, NEDC and the International Migration Organisation to start various vocations.

Shatau said “They are 601 of them and the question of government giving them N100,000 each does not arise. What happened is that the North East Development Commission gave them starter packs. Some of them trained as barbers so they were given clippers and generators and then given N20,000 cash and their shops will be paid for.”

What the government will do is that they will be brought to Borno State from Gombe and they will be housed in two orientation camps where there are facilities for training and for them to practise whatever they were taught in Gombe.“

Meanwhile, Nigerians from all walks of life have expressed their dismay after the Defence Headquarters announced the reintegration of 601 repentant Boko Haram terrorists back into society.