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A public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has criticised ongoing efforts by authorities to rehabilitate and reintegrate former insurgents and criminals, saying the approach sends a dangerous message to victims and law-abiding citizens.
In a post on his verified X handle on Friday, Shehu said it is the responsibility of the state to maintain law and order, protect lives and property, and enforce the law strictly without compromise.
“It is the duty of the state to maintain law and order, protect lives and properties and apply provisions of the law without bending back: life for life,” he said.
He argued that forgiveness should not be the responsibility of government.
He stressed that such decisions belong to God.
“It is the prerogative of God to forgive offenders, sinners and other murderers on judgement day,” he added.
Shehu faulted what he described as the continued rehabilitation and reintegration of criminals, including members of Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other armed groups, under various amnesty programmes over the past decade.
“Within the last ten(10) years, criminals of all flavours, shades and colors (Boko Haram, Iswap, arsonists, murderers etc) are being rehabilitated and integrated by various state governments under a misguided amnesty programme,” he said.
According to him, over 700 repentant Boko Haram members were said to have completed a de-radicalisation programme and were being prepared for deployment back into communities.
“Just yesterday, over 700 repentant Boko Haram members were graduated after de-radicalisation training and will be given assignments in the same communities they terrorised,” he said.
He said such actions could provoke anger among victims and their families, and may even lead to retaliation.
“Relations of their victims and law-abiding citizens will now be considering taking up their enemies,” he warned.
Shehu also expressed concern that the policy could create unintended incentives for crime, especially among unemployed youth.
“Many unemployed youth may reconsider their loyalty, take arms, move to the bushes and highways, become kidnappers… with hope that if they are caught, they will get free accommodation, training, feeding and jobs,” he said.
“Such is the irony of being a criminal in Nigeria where law is bent to accommodate every nonsense,” he added.
Rehabilitating terrorists sends wrong signal to victims – Mahdi Shehu
