–Senate delegation to Visit Tinubu over insecurity

By Isa Abdul, Abuja

The Senate on Tuesday asked the federal government to halt the practice of pardoning and rehabilitating repentant terrorists into society.

The resolution was adopted with majority of members of the upper chamber supporting it through voice votes during the plenary while considering a motion on the abduction and killing of retired major general, Rabe Abubakar, and other military officers by bandits.

Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, the senator representing Katsina Central Senatorial District, sponsored the motion with the senator representing Edo Central, Joseph Ikpea, making an additional prayer calling for the abolition of the rehabilitation and reintegration programme for repentant terrorists.

The senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, supported the proposal, arguing that the practice of pardoning and rehabilitating criminals “does not make common sense.”

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the proposal to a voice vote, and a majority of senators adopted it.

Meanwhile, the Senate’s resolution is not legally binding on the executive, as motions have no force of law. They represent the opinions of the upper chamber and are communicated to the Presidency as counsel for consideration.

The decision to abolish or significantly alter State policy or law requires legislative amendments to existing laws or policies governing them like Nigeria’s counterterrorism policy.

Generally, rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant terrorists has always been a controversial counterterrorism strategy right from 2016 when it was adopted as a non-kinetic weapon to fight terrorism particularly in the North-east, following sustained offensives against Boko Haram and later its splinter faction, the Islamic State for West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In 2021, the policy was further expanded with thousands of fighters and their families surrendering after tense inter terror group fights.

The federal government’s Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), a non-kinetic deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration programme established in 2016 and coordinated by the Defence Headquarters involves the military, security agencies, and several ministries, departments, and agencies, including the ministries of justice, education, health, women’s affairs, and humanitarian affairs, as well as the National Orientation Agency.

The programme screens former fighters who are assessed as not having committed serious crimes to undergo psychological counselling, religious reorientation, vocational training, literacy education, and civic instruction at a rehabilitation centre in Gombe State. Upon completing the programme, the participants are handed over to their state governments for reintegration into their communities.

North-east states including Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, have received rehabilitated ex-combatants under the programme. Borno State, the epicentre of insurgency in the North East has also implemented its own reintegration initiatives, with state authorities claiming that encouraging defections weakens insurgent groups and provides valuable intelligence for military operations.

But the policy has received sharp criticism from victims’ groups, civil society organisations and some security experts.

Critics argue that many communities remain traumatised by years of violence and are unwilling to accept former insurgents, especially where victims have received little, no compensation or justice st all. The adequacy of the screening process has equally been questioned with the fears that some rehabilitated fighters could and do return to insurgency.

But supporters of the programme, maintain that rehabilitation is in sync with global Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) principles. They argue further that military force alone cannot end insurgency and that providing a pathway for defections encourages more fighters to surrender, thereby reducing the strength of terrorist groups.

Presenting the motion in the Senate, Yar’Adua, a retired colonel, expressed concern over Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, particularly terrorism and banditry.

He said terrorist networks had become more sophisticated and emboldened, extending their attacks from rural communities to the coordinated abduction of military personnel.

The senator condemned the abduction and killing of Rabe Abubakar and several other military officers who have fallen victim to bandits in recent times.

He urged the Senate leadership to constitute a delegation to pay condolence visits to the family of the late military spokesperson, the Katsina State Government and the Nigerian Army.

Mr Yar’Adua also called on the Senate to urge the federal government to accelerate the deployment of modern security technologies, including unmanned aerial systems, geospatial intelligence capabilities, integrated command-and-control platforms, advanced communication systems and other force-multiplying technologies needed to combat terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

Meanwhile, the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, during the session also proposed another prayer for the Senate to constitute a delegation to interface with President Bola Tinubu on the country’s worsening security situation.

The deputy senate president put the prayer to a voice vote, and the majority of senators adopted it.

By Seyi Balogun

Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is the new President of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

Following his emergence as new president, Osinbajo pledged yesterday while delivering his acceptance speech at the Foundation’s 37th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos that he will strengthen environmental conservation and climate action.

He further paid tribute to the founding fathers of the NCF, particularly its President Emeritus, Chief Philip Asiodu, for their foresight in promoting environmental conservation decades before climate change became a global concern.

The eminent jurist and former Nigeria Vice President also acknowledged the contributions of the late Chief S.L. Edu and other founding trustees, saying their vision laid the foundation for Nigeria’s environmental conservation movement.

According to him, the founders recognised the importance of biodiversity conservation long before climate change gained global prominence. He said the effects of climate change had become increasingly evident across Nigeria through flooding and rising temperatures noting that parts of Europe were experiencing temperatures of between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius, underscoring the urgency of collective climate action.

Osinbajo described the NCF as Nigeria’s foremost non-governmental organisation dedicated to environmental conservation and climate action.

Consequently, he commended the Foundation’s trustees, members, management, staff, volunteers and development partners for sustaining its conservation programmes over the years.

Accepting his new responsibility, he pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessors and deepen collaboration with stakeholders.

Asiodu, the Foundation’s President Emeritus, served the NCF for more than 20 years and stepped down from the position at the age of 92.

By Seyi Balogun

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Friday announced that the pupils and teachers abducted in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026, have regained their freedom.

In a post shared on his verified X handle, Onanuga revealed that the victims had been released by their abductors. In his words:

“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies.”

He added that no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.

The abductions were carried out by armed men who attacked three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.

39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.

During the attack, a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.

However, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.

The terrorists reportedly, made a four-point demand to be met before freeing the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.

The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.

The incident had triggered weeks of public anguish, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarking on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ safe rescue before suspending the action in July.

It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.

Eight of the terrorists are reported to be arrested while others have been killed.

However, it is not yet clear how the victims were rescued and who the arrested terrorists are.