Senate mulls agency for repentant Boko Haram

 

The Senate has set the machinery in motion for the establishment of a national agency for integration of repentant Boko Haram insurgents into the civil society.

This is as a bill sponsored to that effect by former Governor of Yobe state, Ibrahim Gaidam (APC Yobe East), passed first reading on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Thursday.

The bill titled: “National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De-radicalisation and Integration of Repentant Insurgents in Nigeria,” was listed as item three on the Order Paper of the Senate for plenary which held  Thursday and accordingly gazetted after first reading.

The agency, when established after the passage of the bill as stated  in the draft copy, is to among others, “provide avenue for rehabilitating, de – radicalisation, educating and reintegrating the defectors , repentant and detained members of the insurgent group in making them useful members of the society.”

“Provide avenue for reconciliation and promote national security.

“Provide an-open-door and encouragement for other members of the group who are still engaged in the insurgency to abandon the group especially in the face of the military pressure. 

“Gives the government an opportunity to derive insider-information about the insurgence group for greater understanding of the group and its inner workings. 

“Gaining greater understanding of the insurgents will enable govermnent to address the immediate concerns of violence and study the needs of de-radicalization effort to improve the process of de-radicalisation. 

“Help disintegrate the violent and poisonous ideology that the group spreads as the program will enable some convicted or suspected terrorists to express remorse over their actions, repent and recant their Violent ideology and re-enter mainstream politics, religion and society.”

Senator Gaidam explained further in the draft copy that if established, the agency through maintenance of open lines,  will be able to gain  greater understanding of both the immediate needs for combating Boko Hararn as well as tool for counter-radicalisation in the future. 

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