₦airaland Forum

'FG is setting our killers free’– soldiers kick as 1,400 Boko Haram suspects are released

Some soldiers at the war front in the north-east have expressed disappointment over the release of 1,400 ”repentant” Boko Haram suspects.

Babakura Jato, commissioner of information in Borno state, on Monday, told The PUNCH that 1,400 had been released in three tranches since Operation Safe Corridor programme was launched.

Operation Safe Corridor is an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of all ex-Boko Haram members.

Jato said the majority of them are cleared suspects.

“These were people who were suspected of being members of Boko Haram and it was discovered that they were not,” he said.

“The rest are children of Boko Haram or actual Boko Haram members. I cannot give you a breakdown of the figure now for security reasons.”

He also said he was aware of the allegation that some of those released had gone back to terrorism, but he added that some of these claims were mere speculation.

Reacting to the development, soldiers, who confirmed the release of the suspects to TheCable on Tuesday, said they did not understand why suspected Boko Haram members are being released in large numbers.

“A lot of soldiers are not happy about this. We were there at the Maimalari barracks when some of these Boko Haram people were released,” one of the soldiers said.

“The authorities are releasing them, but Boko Haram are killing soldiers that they capture. This does not make sense to us at all. We continue to sweep across the bushes to flush these people out, and then the government will release them. Does that not amount to wasted efforts?”

Another soldier said he believes most of the released suspects find their way back to crime.

“You wonder why Boko Haram members are on the increase? When we arrest them and bring them here, some top people would come and start negotiating their release. But, I will tell you some of these so-called suspects are returning to the bush and they were never repentant.”

Speaking with TheCable on the matter, Onyema Nwachukwu, defence headquarters’ spokesperson, said the releases were in line with Operation Safe Corridor.

“We’ve made some releases, that’s the truth. We should know what the operation is about. But take note, it’s not that we capture Boko Haram suspects and then go back and release them. No,” he said.

The operation he said is under the direct supervision of the defence headquarters and managed in conjunction with 13 civil organisations.

“The civil organisations involved in the operation include UNICEF, International Office on Migration (IOM) and relevant government ministries and security agencies. Not left out of the oversight structure of the operation is the Gombe state govt where the DRR facility is located. As a testimony to the effectiveness of the Safe Corridor initiative, so far, about 800 ex Boko Haram fighters who would have unleashed unimaginable terror on citizens have been admitted and out of which 287 of them have been successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, with many still undergoing the DRR programme,” he said.

At the launch of the operation in 2016, the military said the aim is to rehabilitate and reintegrate repentant Boko Haram members back into society.

fk002:
Your opinion doesn't count it starts and ends on nairaland

buhariguy:
so your work now is to be unreasonable,
where were you when northern elders forum support thief atiku over jonathan,
they were the ones nominating pdp presidentian candidate since 2011, hence, they are pdp supporter,
they also campaign for thief atiku and against buhari in 2019 election.
So your hatred for buhari cannot change the truth.

APCNig:
Have they finished spending the money Atikuchukwu gave them.

Agnostics:
They lied
Buhari is not giving them money that's why they are complaining,

PDP forum

The Professor Ango Abdullahi- led Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has risen from its meeting in Zaria on Sunday with a verdict that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigeria.

It said Buhari has failed to tackle insecurity and improve the economy.

The forum lamented that the Buhari -led government appeared helpless in finding solutions to insecurity as well as poverty in the country.

Addressing Journalists shortly after the meeting convened by the chairman of the forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, the forum’s Director, Advocacy and Engagements of NEF, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmad, said poverty, particularly in the North and massive social security have worsened under Buhari’s administration.

In attendance at the meeting were: Abdullahi, former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alamin Daggash (retd); Secretary of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Abdullahi Usman and Ambassador Yahaya Kwande; Deputy National Chairman of NEF, Alhaji Bello Kirfi (Wazirin Bauchi), DIG Labaran Wurno, Alhaji Yakubu Shehu and former MD, defunct Bank of the North, Hajiya Amina Yahaya, among others.

Baba-Ahmed stated categorically that NEF had before the 2019 elections warned Nigerians that Buhari lacked the will, competence and commitment to lead the country into a secure and prosperous future.

While noting that the relationship between insecurity and poverty is fundamental, the Northern Elders said, the current administration does not appear to have any idea on what will provide relief or solution.

Speaking on the 2023 Presidential election, the Forum said the north will only support candidate who can find solutions to problems bedevilling the region.

According to Dr. Baba-Ahmed: “Northern Elders Forum has refrained from comments on major developments relating to management of national security and governance because it is convinced that these are times which require the highest levels of responsibility and circumspection in the manner elders and leaders in the nation contribute to the search for solutions to the multiple problems which face the nation.

“It has become necessary and appropriate, however, to make public, the position of the Forum on important matters that affect the manner Nigerians live, and the future we must address.

“The Forum regrets that by any standard of judgement, the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the nation in the vital area of improving its security. Poverty, particularly in the North, and massive social security have worsened under this administration. The relationship between insecurity and poverty is fundamental, but the administration does not appear to have any idea on what will provide relief or solution.

“It gives the Forum no pleasure to say that it had warned Nigerians that President Buhari lacked the will, the competence and commitment to lead it into a secure and prosperous future before the 2019 elections.

“It is shocking that in spite of unprecedented consensus among Nigerians that the administration requires a new resolve, approach and leadership in the fight against the nation’s multiple security challenges, President Buhari appears either totally isolated or in deep denial over the result of his failures to secure Nigerians.

“With this type of mind set, it is difficult to see how President Buhari can accept the challenge to radically improve his handling of our security situation. Nonetheless, we believe that Nigerians must continue to raise our voices and organize through all legitimate means to demand that the administration addresses major failings in his perception of our situation and his response to our demands for our rights to security.

JasonScoolari:
Dear sarrki,


Have you noticed that a particular moderator is not pleased with the way you drop the "sai baba" garment of backwardness?

donstan18:
I hope she'll be safe there in the midst of some Northern colleagues with all these financial favors and breakthroughs coming her way for her dedication and punctuality to her work.

God should protect her!

Enwhen:
Baba God don pick her call






Hardwork pays

deji17:
You want FG to leave Federal road for states? The states road left in their care, how are they fairing? The primary and secondary schools nko? What of the various states hospitals and primary health centers? The truth is that the Federal Government is outperforming many states Govt.

Marine54:
Nigerian police think we're still in 16 century, killing terrorist without prove