The Pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum has kicked against reintegrating repentant Boko Haram insurgents into the society.
The National Chairman of the Northern body, Audu Ogbeh, said that repentant Boko Haram members are no different from the Igbohos or ESN members and tehrefore should be prosecuted for the crimes committed against fellow Nigerians.
Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture, stated this in a statement he signed and released through the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe, in Kaduna on Tuesday.
The statement is entitled, ‘On repentant Boko Haram Terrorists and the Principle of Equity and Justice.’
It read, “We are currently witnessing large-scale surrender of large numbers of Boko Haram insurgents, among whom are bomb makers, commanders, arsonists, rapists, and child snatchers.
“Do we have good reason to cheer and hope for an end to this decade-old insanity?
“Is ‘I am sorry’ enough to bring relief to Nigerians and the thousands of dead and maimed?
“What of those victims bombed in churches, mosques, schools, and markets? What of all the men and women in uniform murdered by them?
“Who can count the thousands of widows and orphans they have created?
“And what is the difference between them and the Igbohos or ESN of Nigeria? None.
“So what do we do with them? Should we just embrace them and trust them wholesale? Are their moves informed by altruistic repentance? We seriously doubt.
“We join the Governor of Borno, the Shehu of Borno, Senator Ndume and millions of Nigerians in pondering over this development and our simple advice is: Bring them to trial, or free all others presently in custody anywhere, while we Nigerians plead guilty of naivety and gullibility in the extreme, punishable by more insurrection and anarchy.”
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