ACF to FG: You Must Bring Repentant Insurgents to Justice

•Apprehension grips Boko Haram, ISWAP camps as another 219 terrorists surrender to troops

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

A foremost northern group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said the federal government must set a good example in its fight against insurgency by bringing repentant Boko terrorists to justice or release the rest of them still in custody.

Chairman of the forum and former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, in a statement on Tuesday titled: “On repentant Boko Haram Terrorists and the Principle of Equity and Justice”, said an apology was not enough to bring relief to Nigerians and the thousands that were killed and maimed.

This is as the military authorities, yesterday, said some 219 more terrorists had surrendered to troops in the North-east, bringing the number of terrorists, who had laid down their arms to 1,219.

However, according to Ogbeh, “We are currently witnessing large scale surrender of large numbers of Boko Haram insurgents, among whom are bomb makers, commanders, arsorrists, rapists, and child snatchers.

“Do we have good reason to cheer and hope for an end to this decade-old insanity? Is ‘I am sorry’ enough to bring relief to Nigerians and the thousands of dead and maimed?” he asked.

While noting that the massive destruction of property by the insurgents, who have rendered many people homeless, the ACF posed further questions: “What of those victims bombed in the churches, mosques, schools, and markets? What of all the men and women in uniform murdered by them?

“Who can count the thousands of widows and orphans they have created? And what is the difference between them and the Ighoho’s or ESN of Nigeria? None. So what do we do with them? Should we just embrace them and trust them wholesale? Are their moves informed by altruistic repentance? We seriously doubt.”

Ogbeh, who expressed support to similar concerns raised by the Shehu of Borno, the Borno State governor and other concerned Nigerians, said, the path being toed by the federal government would make other Nigerians feel gullible.

“We join the Governor of Borno, the Shehu of Borno, Senator Ndume and millions of Nigerians in pondering over this development and our simple advice is: Bring them to trial, or free all others presently in custody anywhere, while we Nigerians plead guilty of naivety and gullibility in the extreme, punishable by more insurrection and anarchy,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a situation report by the military that more terrorists had surrendered to them, was believed to have triggered tension and confusion in the camps of Boko Haram and ISWAP following continued depletion of the number of their fighters.

About 1000 terrorists facing military’s intense aerial and artillery bombardment in addition to the vacuum created by the death of their leader, Abubakar Shakau, had surrendered to troops in the last three weeks.

But traditional rulers including Shehu of Borno, HRH Abubakar El-Kanemi and the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum have expressed concerns over the development.

The traditional ruler said last weekend that North East communities found it difficult to come to terms with their likely reintegration with the society after the mass murder and destruction they unleashed on them.

Zulum, also expressed concerns over the likely acceptance of the repentant terrorists by Borno communities.

He met with the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor on Monday in furtherance of his resolve to widely consult with security and Borno State stakeholders towards developing a framework that would address concerns raised over the surrender of Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters.

However, a statement issued by the Nigerian Army said a total of 186 Boko Haram terrorists led by their Amir, Manye Aga, comprising 67 adult males, 54 adult females and 65 children surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai at Forward Operational Base (FOB) Ajiri.

Items recovered from the surrendered terrorists included several AK 47 rifles and magazines, a locally made pistol and eight locally fabricated daggers.

“Following the recent unprecedented and massive surrendering of Boko Haram errorists in Bama Operational area on 2 and 4 August, 2021 respectively, there has been confusion and severe apprehension in the camps of the Islamic State of West Africa Province especially,amongst its top ranking commanders over the depleting strength of its members, which has drastically dwindled their overall fighting efficiency.

“It is against this back drop that the terrorists group opted for the use of propaganda via AMAQ terrorists media wing with the aim to portray the group as if it is still a potent force in the North East,” it said.

The army’s statement signed by Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said, “the present trend of apprehension in their camps was further aggravated by the recent alarming turnout of members of the terrorists group, who came out in droves with their families to lay down their arms and surrender to own troops at Mafa Local Government Area on 14 August, 2021.”

Similarly, on 15 August, 2021, the theatre took custody of additional Boko Haram fighters, comprising of 4 adult males, 11 adult females and 18 children from Landanli, Azah, Ngaridua and Kondilla villages, who surrendered to own troops of 151 Task Force Battalion, Banki Junction in Bama.

It stated that ISWAP was yet to come to terms with the reality of its current predicament, which has posed serious negative impact on its prowess.

“It is also worthy of note that the terrorists are overwhelmed with palpable fear and are making desperate efforts to halt the ongoing surrendering of their fighters from the Tumbus and Sambisa axis.

“The Nigerian military is more resolute in intensifying both kinetic and non kinetic efforts in the fight against insurgency, banditry and sundry crimes in the country”, it said.