When Second Chances Become Death Sentences: Nigeria's Terror Policy

Photo: The Punch

The Bitter Truth About Nigeria's 'Forgive and Forget' Approach

Na wa o! You see this matter of rehabilitating terrorists wey our government dey do, I tell you, e dey pain me for body. How person go wound you, kill your family, burn your house, then tomorrow government go tell you say make you forgive am because dem don rehabilitate am? Abeg, make we talk true talk for this matter.

For the past few years, Nigeria's approach to handling repentant Boko Haram and bandit terrorists has been one of rehabilitation and reintegration. On paper, e sound like good idea - turn enemies into allies, abi? But the reality on ground na different story entirely. The victims wey these people destroy their lives dey watch as their tormentors dey walk free, sometimes even getting better treatment than them.

When Victims Become Second-Class Citizens in Their Own Country

I remember when I visit one IDP camp for Maiduguri last year. Mama Hauwa, one woman wey lose three children to Boko Haram attack, tell me something wey scatter my head. She say: 'These people kill my children, burn my house, rape my daughter. Now government dey give them food, training, even money to start business. Wetin I get? Nothing. I dey here for camp, begging for small garri.'

This na the wahala with this rehabilitation program. While government dey spend billions to feed, train and reintegrate former terrorists, the victims wey these same people traumatize dey suffer in silence. Many of them never receive proper compensation or psychological support. Some still dey IDP camps after ten years, while their former attackers don return to society with new skills and startup capital.

The Dangerous Game of Trust

Make I tell you wetin dey happen for real. Some of these so-called repentant terrorists, after collecting their rehabilitation benefits, dem dey go back to their old ways. Last year alone, security sources confirm say several ex-Boko Haram members wey pass through deradicalisation programs don rejoin terrorist groups or form new criminal gangs.

One security analyst wey no want make I mention him name tell me say: 'We dey deceive ourselves. You cannot deradicalise someone in few months when it take years to radicalise them. Many of these people just dey play smart - collect what government dey give, then go back to business as usual.'

The matter tire me because innocent citizens wey never commit any crime dey struggle to get government attention, but once you carry gun terrorise people, suddenly government ready to bend backwards to accommodate you. Na which kind backward logic be that?

The Psychology of Normalising Violence

Oga, let me tell you something wey dey worry me pass. This rehabilitation approach dey send wrong message to society. E dey tell young people say violence na viable option - that if you terrorise people enough, government go come beg you with money and benefits.

Dr. Fatima Akilu, wey be expert for counter-terrorism, don warn say this approach fit encourage more people to join terrorist groups. Why? Because dem know say even if dem get caught, the punishment no too bad. Instead of facing justice, dem go face rehabilitation. Instead of prison, dem go face training center. Na better deal that one, abi no be so?

International Examples Wey Make Sense

See, I no dey say make we kill all ex-terrorists o. But make we look how other countries dey handle this matter. For Sri Lanka, after their civil war, they make sure say victims get justice and compensation first before any talk of reconciliation. For Rwanda, dem get truth and reconciliation commission, but justice still follow.

But for Nigeria, we dey put cart before horse. We dey rehabilitate perpetrators while ignoring victims. We dey reward bad behavior while punishing good citizenship through neglect.

The Way Forward: Justice Before Mercy

If government serious about ending terrorism for Nigeria, them need to restructure this approach. First, make dem take care of victims properly. Give them compensation, medical care, psychological support, and livelihood restoration. No victim should dey suffer while their attackers dey enjoy government largesse.

Second, any rehabilitation program must follow proper justice process. Let these people face trial first. Let them confess their crimes publicly and ask for forgiveness from their victims. Let them serve some form of punishment before enjoying rehabilitation benefits.

Third, dem need proper monitoring system. This idea of releasing ex-terrorists into communities without proper tracking na recipe for disaster. Communities wey receive these people must get support and protection guarantees.

The Bottom Line

I go talk am as e be: any policy wey treat criminals better than victims na failed policy. Any system wey reward violence while ignoring suffering na system wey go breed more violence. Nigeria's current approach to terrorist rehabilitation dey fail because e no balance justice with mercy.

Until we put victims first and make sure say justice follow mercy, this rehabilitation program go continue to be counterproductive. We cannot build lasting peace on the foundation of injustice. Na true talk be that!