Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the nation’s National Assembly, has asked the Nigerian government to stop the ongoing amnesty for repentant Boko Haram insurgents.
Ndume made the when he spoke in a British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa programme on Wednesday, wondering why the government was spending so much on the insurgents some of who he said were not committed to the programme.
Declaring the programme as unacceptable, Ndume called on the government to stop it.
He declared that some of the repentant insurgents who were integrated into the society had actually gone back to their attacks.
He spoke on the heels of a report that said a repentant Boko Haram member, had killed his father, stole his wealth and disappeared after reintegration.
According to him, instead of wasting funds training Boko Haram who will not appreciate the opportunity, he said the government should use the resources to train people who are nod in the Internally Displaced Peoples camps in different trades and vocations.
“They are like Kharajites. Many among those released have since run away. They will never repent. The government should know what to do about them, but not reintroducing someone to you, who has killed your parents or your relations,” he said.
“Not that he even apologised to you; he apologised to the government. His thinking was that the government has failed and that is why they are being pampered. This government’s programme is unacceptable to our people. The right thing is to stop it forthwith.
“If there is the sincerity of purpose, those in the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps should be trained in various trades and vocations, so that they can start life again,” said Ndume, who is also Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army.
Similarly, a woman who was made a widow by the Boko Haram fighters, who was featured in the programme, criticized the government for training the former insurgents for them to be absorbed into the community.
The woman said that the Islamist fundamentalists killed her husband and left with four children. She said she did not understand why the would-be treating them with kids gloves.
“This is hurting. They (Boko Haram) killed my husband in my presence. They killed my son. I am left suffering with four young orphans. Till death, I will never forget that day.”
