Repentant Boko Haram fighters to get FG agency

Nigeria Senate on Thursday in Abuja listed for first reading, a bill to create an agency that would compensate and rehabilitate Boko Haram fighters and bandits who have repented.

Former governor of Yobe State and Senator representing Yobe East Senatorial district, Ibrahim Gaidam sponsored the bill.

The bill, “National Agency for Education, Rehabilitation, De-radicalisation and Integration of repentant insurgents in Nigeria”, has passed first reading.

It passed first reading while the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege presided over Thursdays plenary in the absence of the Senate Presiden, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan.

Though, every detail of the bill has not been disclosed, but excerpts indicate that the bill would create administrative structure to deal with repentant Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal elements willing to surrender so as to be absorbed into their normal life in the society.

The proposed agency was coming at the backdrop of the presidential intervention that created the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) through Acts of the National Assembly in the 8th Senate.

The Commission has since taken off with a formal budgetary allocation in the 2020 annual budget.

Recall that Nigeria Military reportedly released about 1,400 Boko Haram fighters who earlier surrendered and subsequently deradicalised, a development that has been heavily criticised by the Nigerian public.

Sponsor of the bill wasn't available to comment further on the development.