–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.

–Advocates death penalty for kidnappers

By Isa Abdul

Gen. Christopher Musa, Rtd, defence minister has said that the minimum monthly salary for soldiers has shot up to ₦100,000 following a federal government review aimed at boosting military morale and welfare.

Speaking in an interview with News Central aired on Wednesday, Musa revealed that the salary increment nearly doubled the previous minimum pay of ₦49,000 but acknowledging that funding for the armed forces generally remained inadequate.

“It’s not enough,” the minister said while answering whether the current defence budget sufficiently meets the military’s operational needs:

“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting ₦100,000.”

Musa also called for the introduction of the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that tougher punishments were needed to deter the growing wave of abductions across the country. In his words:

“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment.”

Further commenting on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, the minister alleged that the kidnappers were mounting pressure on the military into releasing some of their detained leaders.

“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” Musa said.

He said the abductors had threatened to kill the children if security forces intensified rescue operations.

Musa further rejected claims circulating on social media that Nigerian soldiers were being poorly fed, insisting the allegations were misleading. He made reference to a viral video involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, saying the officer deliberately removed food items from a meal before recording it to create a false impression.

“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat and other items, but he told them to remove those things and make it appear as if they were not there.”