News

Reintegrating Terrorists Into Society Dangerous, Ex-soldiers Tell FG

Published

2 months ago

April 7, 2024

Editor

Some retired soldiers have again warned the Federal Government to be careful with its decision to rehabilitate and reintegrate some repentant terrorists who have gone through the government’s deradicalisation programme, Operations Safe Corridor.

The OSC which began under former president Muhammadu Buhari has run for several years and seen no fewer than 4,000 ex-Boko Haram members go through the programme.

In Gombe State alone, for instance, in September 2023, no fewer than 2,168 ex-Boko Haram members were said to have passed through the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration camp at the Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State in the last eight years.

In January 2023, no fewer than 613 rehabilitated terrorists undergoing de-radicalisation were scheduled to be handed over by the military authorities to their respective state governors.

However, in July 2022, some repentant Boko Haram members, despite renouncing their membership of the terror group, were accused of having contact with their former colleagues, supplying them intelligence.

The former terrorists were said to be among the 800 persons who were recently reintegrated into the Bama community in Borno State and were resettled at the Government Girls’ Secondary School Bama.

Some of them were also accused of acting as spies for terrorist groups in the past.

Reacting on the matter, a retired colonel, Hassan Stan-Labo, stated, “If we have mobilised and brought them (terrorists) out for rehabilitation, it is already too late; there is nothing we can do but to go the whole hog; go through the entire demobilisation, de-radicalisation and rehabilitation.

“However, if I were the commander-in-chief, my instructions would have been: ‘Don’t bring anybody for any damn rehabilitation; you bloody well will pay the price for whatever you have done on the battle front’.

“You want a battle, come get the battle. You have committed all kinds of atrocities and now, you turn around begging for forgiveness. We don’t have a responsibility to forgive you; we hasten your journey to heaven. Go and meet God and ask for penance. What do we tell the people in the displaced persons camps, who are not even getting the kind of treatment we are giving these guys?”

He also asked that proper biometrics should be taken of these guys so they would not find their way into the military.

“We can have the biometrics of these guys and since fingerprints are used in the course of recruitment, we should be able to fish out those who may want to join the military. If we have a very effective intelligence network on the ground, this wouldn’t happen. I’m also aware that the Borno State Government is documenting their biometrics data. That’s a very good starting point,” he added.

Another retired military officer, who served in the Nigerian Navy but refused to be named, said it was wrong to assume that terrorists would repent because the government made them go through a programme.

“We are talking of hard criminals who kill innocent people for a living and leave families deserted. They destroy people’s livelihoods and feel nothing. Why will a few months or years programme deradicalise them? What was the government thinking when it said it wants to reintegrate them back into the society to live with the same people whom they rendered homeless? The government needs to have a clear rethink. No terrorist should be treated with kid’s gloves,” the soldier added.

Also speaking, a former director of the Department of State Services, Mr Mike Ejiofor, said the rehabilitation programme seemed not well-thought-out and ill-timed.

He said, “The government has been releasing some of them under the notion that they have been de-radicalised. These same people will go back into the society and start wreaking havoc. I think the government should reconsider its stance on the release of de-radicalised insurgents to avoid reintroducing criminals into the society.

“You can’t continue to release them in the heat of the problems when none of the people that have been arrested has been successfully prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others. Since they are not prosecuted, they are not afraid of going back to their old way.”
PUNCH

News

JUST IN: Court Stops Police, SSS, Military From Evicting Emir Sanusi

Published

6 hours ago

May 28, 2024

Editor

The Kano High Court sitting on Miller Road has stopped the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and Nigerian military from evicting the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was recently reinstated.

Granting the order, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano High Court also restrained the security agencies from arresting or harassing the emir and his kingmakers.

The judge held “that an order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the Respondents either by themselves, their agents, privies, representative, and assigns from further harassing, intimidating.inviting, arresting and or invading the personal or official residence of the Applicants (Gidan Rumfa);

“…his servants and or any of the Kano Emirate kingmakers of doing such acts that would be capable of interfering with the Applicants’ rights generally in relation to this suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“That an order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the Respondents from attempting to hijack, pick, commandeer, confiscate any of twin spear of authority, the Royal Hat of Dabo, the Ostrich-feathered shoes, the knife and sword of the Emir of Kano as well as symbols of authority pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“That an order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the Respondents from taking further steps in connection with the matter or maintaining status quo of staying all action pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“That it is further ordered that the Respondents are restraining from interfering with the functions, duties of the 1″ Applicant as the Emir of Kano pending the hearing and determination of the mation on notice dated 28 May, 2024.”

The case was filed by the emir alongside the four kingmakers of Kano: Madakin Kano Yusuf Nabahani; Makaman Kano Ibrahim Sarki Abdullahi; Sarkin Bai Mansur Adnan and Sarkin Dawaki Maituta Bello Tuta.

The motion on notice is adjourned to June 13, 2024 for hearing.

Recall that Justice Aliyu had ordered for the eviction of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero from the Nassarawa mini palace on Monday.

News

JUST IN: Federal High Court Orders Emir Sanusi’s Eviction; State Court Halts Enforcement

Published

7 hours ago

May 28, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the eviction of the reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, from Gidan Rumfa Palace.

The court also ordered the police to ensure all rights and privileges due to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero be given to him.

Recall that the Emir Bayero was deposed last week following the passage of amended Kano Emirate council bill into law and its eventual assent by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The presiding judge, Justice S. A. Amobeda, who gave the exparte order on Tuesday stated that the order wqs made in the interest of justice and maintenance of peace in Kano.

The order states, “An order of interim injunction restraining the Respondents either by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or any other person or authority from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant, raiding, tempering with;

“…or visiting the Applicant’s in order to arrest or infringe on his right or in any other way infringe or attempt to infringe the Applicant’s rights pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion.

“An order restraining the 3th, 4th and 5th Respondents and all other Respondents from denying the applicant to use his official residence and palace at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu;

“…as well as enjoyment of all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of being Emir of Kano State and to evicting anything, anybody residing within the palace illegally pending the hearing and the determination of the originating summons.”

The suit was adjourned to June 4, 2024 for hearing.

This is coming shortly after a state high court presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu granted order restraining eviction of Emir Sanusi II.

“That it is further ordered that the Respondents are restraining from interfering with the functions, duties of the 1″ Applicant as the Emir of Kano pending the hearing and determination of the mation on notice dated 28 May, 2024.”

News

Police Arrest Four Soldiers, Others Over Truck Hijacking, Stealing In Rivers

Published

8 hours ago

May 28, 2024

Editor

The Police Command in Rivers has arrested a 13-member criminal gang that specialises in hijacking articulated vehicles carrying goods.

The suspects include four Nigerian Army personnel, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and eight civilians.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that the suspects had been implicated in several armed robbery attacks in the state.

She said that the command first received reports of the gang’s activities on March 4.

“The command received a distress call around 11 p.m. regarding burglars attempting to vandalise warehouses in Elimbgu community, Rivers.

“Upon receiving the call, the command promptly mobilised to the scene and arrested five suspects who had been severely beaten by a mob.

“The injured suspects were immediately taken to the police hospital, and thereafter, investigation began,” she said.

Iringe-Koko mentioned that in the course of investigation, it was discovered that one of the suspects, West Isaac (08NA/61/2653), was a Corporal in the Nigerian Army serving in Delta.

She said that another suspect named Jabila Kammangar, with the nickname Kaka, was also identified as an NSCDC officer serving in Kabba, Kogi.

“Both the soldier and NSCDC officer confessed to abandoning their posts to partake in criminal activities in Rivers,” she added.

The police officer further said that West, a 36-year-old father of four, joined the army in 2008 and was assigned to the 3 Battalion, Warri.

She said that investigation revealed that West sought and was granted sick leave but overstayed it about one month before his arrest.

“West told investigators that he met Kammangar while serving in the army’s anti-bunkering unit and that they have been engaging in various unlawful acts.

“He mentioned that he travelled to Port Harcourt at Kammangar’s request for the warehouse raid that led to their apprehension.

“Further probing revealed that West and Kammangar were part of a larger criminal network specialising in armed robbery, hijacking, and diversion of goods,” she said.

Iringe-Koko alleged that West confessed to police officers that the criminal syndicate included other army personnel.

According to her, the gang also collaborates with a network of informants who supply them with details about the schedules of truck-bearing goods.

She said that the suspects, who always dressed in full military gear during operations, used intelligence from their informants to locate the movement of target trucks.

“They will intercept the truck with their Toyota Hilux van, beat, and intimidate the drivers before diverting the trucks to already waiting receivers,” she said.

Iringe-Koko said that three other army personnel, Abdul Musa (13 NA/70/10545), Mgbe Jeoffrey (16 NA/75/6896), and Innocent Okwoli (12 NA/68/6552), were apprehended following West’s revelations.

She said that the four soldiers had been dismissed by the Nigerian Army and handed over to the police for further inquiry and legal action.

The police spokesperson further said that eight civilian collaborators of the gang were arrested in the process.

She said that a man identified as Okwoli, stationed at Intel Logistics, Onne, Rivers, was identified as the gang’s key coordinator.

The police image maker said that Okwoli and his associates successfully hijacked a trailer carrying fertilisers valued at N25 million, belonging to Alhaji Sadiq Adams, on Feb. 17.

“In February 2024, the group intercepted and diverted a 40-foot container loaded with imported clothing from China, while on March 4, they attempted to burgle warehouses belonging to Emmanuel Nwagwu and Ndifreke Ekanem.

“In February, the gang commandeered a truck transporting POP cement, but the police was able to recover the goods.

“We are also making efforts to retrieve a trailer load of fertiliser from their accomplices. The white Toyota Hilux used in their operations has been recovered from the NSCDC officer,” she disclosed.

She said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, commended the military for their cooperation and affirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring effective prosecution.

(NAN)