Repentant Terrorists Deserve Iron Hand, Not Consanguineal Fist -By Hashim Yussuf Amao

Having splashed innocent blood and separating lovers with faraway bombs, The FG’s compensation for Boko Haram repentants is uncouth mercy that continues to leave a bad fracture on the fabric of our country.

Having pulled triggers at innocent souls and slitting many unripe throats, The FG’s best resolve is rehabilitation of Serial Killers who had wrecked havoc on innocent Nigerians.

Having provoked many tears and left many homes in agony that will remain for years, the best punishment FG could mete repentant terrorists with is reintegration back into the society to live with commoners.

Is FG advising itself or owing its thinktank, whose unmeaning advice could be in revenge of unpaid salaries and renumerations? The niggling romance of terrorists by The FG is a worrisome decision that begs to dissect with serious concerns. Do The FG have a hint Afghanistan’s current ordeal and the brunts they bear for reintegrating repentant Talabans into the Society? Many of whom had fake repentance and worked as spies that divulged vital informations to their remaining members in hideouts, like Kairullah Khairkhwa, who was rehabilitated and set free from Guantanamo prison by President Obama, and now a major leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Is that not enough a salient message?

Handling terrorists with consanguineal fist rather than iron hand is so unhealthy for a country that is already at crossroads to total unrest; the sensitive decision by The FG will only continue to fan the ember of chaos, like the Governor Of Borno, Babangana Zulum had said. Hear him:

“Another aspect of the war against the insurgency that needs to be urgently reviewed or modified, is the issue of deradicalisation of Boko Haram terrorists, who have been captured or have willingly surrendered themselves to the authorities. It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often, those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative, or have been deradicalised, usually go back and rejoin the terror group after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process.”

It then remains a question begging for sincere answers, if the FG really mean well for the lives of people in host communities where repentant terrorists are reintegrated, or if perhaps, the lives of our military men, many of whom have been slained by these same terrorists, is valued. Upon sharing photos of repentant Boko Haram members holding placards that seek forgiveness from Nigerians, the reaction of a young widow, Oluwaseun Sakaba, whose husband, Lt. Col I. Sakaba, was one of the 44 soldiers killed by the insurgents during an attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State in November 2018, melt my heart. Hear the poor widow: “@hqnigerianarmy …I shld forgive dem for making me a young widow, I shld forgive dem for killing my husband, his brother and his mom!! I shld forgive dem for making Me seek shelter in another country!! I shld forgive dem for making many women widows and kids fatherless…”. This, indeed, radiates sadness to one’s heart – and then, the question arises: does the FG really value the lives of our Military Men?

A Government that mete severity and arrest with peaceful protesters should stop pacifying Serial Killers. It’s hightime The FG deduced lessons from Afghanistan. Immediate prosecution of insurgents in accordance with the “Terrorism Act” should be given a priority; as no terrorist fully repents from his ideology. It’s only a matter of time and chance before he/she swings into action again. FG should stop making a gravely mistake that would turn Nigeria to a complete miasma of bloodletting. We are on the brink of collapse, may God forbid.