A bill to facilitate amnesty for repentant members of the terror group, Boko Haram passed first reading on Thursday.
The Bill, “National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De-radicalization and Integration of repentant insurgents in Nigeria, Establishment bill 2020 (SB340).” was sponsored by the immediate past Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Geidam.
Findings revealed that the Bill was similar to the rehabilitation initiative, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for penitent militants in the oil-producing states of Niger Delta states who renounced kidnapping, pipelines vandalism and illegal bunkering.
The programme which was introduced by the late President, Umar Musa Yar ‘Adua on June 25, 2009, proclaimed a 60-day unconditional amnesty period for militants in the Niger Delta, as a step towards resolving the protracted insecurity in the region. The terms of the Amnesty include the willingness and readiness of militants to surrender their arms, unconditionally renounce militancy and sign an undertaking to this effect.
A copy of the new Bill sighted by Nigerian Tribune revealed that under the agency to be established, members of the terror group which has ravaged the North East states will have access to recreational sports and fine arts programs.
Further checks by Tribune Online revealed that if passed into law, the agency would be an addition to an existing agency, the North East Development Commission to mitigate human disaster and empower the people of the North-East states.
The agency will also maintain an open line of communication to gain a greater understanding of both the immediate needs for combating Boko Haram, as well as tool for counter-radicalization in the future.
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The bill if passed would establish a vocational rehabilitation to give the detainees opportunities to learn carpentry, clay shaping, pottery and the like. In addition, they will make use of art through drawings, guided by professional art therapists in their art rehabilitation.
The former Yobe state governor proposed that the agency will among others, “provide an avenue for rehabilitating, de-radicalizing, educating and reintegrating the defectors, repentant and detained members of the insurgent group Boko Haram to make them useful members of the society.
“Provide an avenue for reconciliation and promote national security.
“Provide an-open-door and encouragement for other members of the group who are still engaged in the insurgency to abandon the group especially in the face of the military pressure.
“The rehabilitation programme being envisaged will give the government an opportunity to derive insider-information about the insurgency group for greater understanding of the group and its inner workings. ”
The Bill further read in part: “Gaining greater understanding of the insurgents will enable government to address the immediate concerns of violence and study the needs of de-radicalization effort to improve the process of de-radicalization.
“Help disintegrate the violent and poisonous ideology that the group spreads as the program will enable some convicted or suspected terrorists to express remorse over their actions, repent and recant their Violent ideology and re-enter mainstream politics, religion and society,” the bill states.”
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