SENATORS representing Borno State in the National Assembly have proposed the construction of a settlement for all repentant Boko Haram terrorists.
The caucus made the proposal on Sunday at the Government House, Maiduguri, during a stakeholders meeting held at the multipurpose hall to brainstorm on the recent surrender of hundreds of Boko Haram insurgents in the state.
Speaking on behalf of his two other colleagues, Senator Ali Ndume, explained that the Nigerian Constitution has provided laws addressing state offenders, stressing that “the laws be put into practice to ensure the surrendered insurgents’ safety is secured and guaranteed.
“The unfortunate situation that bedeviled us in the last 12 years is virtually coming to an end. And when it comes to an end, the remnants surrender, and when they surrender, you lose the right to summarily prosecute or execute them.
“There is a laid down national law that guides such procedure and there is internationally acceptable procedure by law of the UN of which Nigeria is a member that must be followed.”
The lawmaker disclosed that the majority of Borno residents were victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that the degree of victimization varies.
According to him, so many people were affected by the insurgency, noting that efforts must be made to address their grievances in order to guarantee balance in the system.
Ndume said Borno lawmakers in the national assembly are ready to give all the necessary support that could enable the government bring the situation to an end.
He asked “The military and other security agencies have the responsibility to, after accepting the surrendered Boko Haram, identify those that are truly culpable; to identify among them those we know are victims that were forcefully conscripted and some of them converted to slaves that are also victims.
“And of course, those that are considered offenders should be punished according to the laws of the land.
“We are of the view that the state government in conjunction with all the security agencies should create a buffer zone where those that surrendered will be kept, profiled, investigated, interrogated and those that are victims amongst them be trained and reintegrated into the society but using the bottom-up approach.”
