Sahara Reporter
The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has said some repentant Boko Haram insurgents “that have blood on their hands” must be investigated and prosecuted.
Recall that weeks ago, the media was agog with reports of repeated surrenders of Boko Haram terrorists to the Nigerian military.
Ali Ndume
More than 2,000 terrorists were reported to have surrendered and branded ‘repentant’ by the Army, claiming adherence to international laws relating to ‘enemies willing to surrender’.
Some Nigerians have kicked against the de-radicalisation and rehabilitation initiative for the insurgents by the Nigerian army under the Safe Corridor programme.
Speaking on Saturday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja, Ndume maintained that the former insurgents cannot be let off the hook just because they have surrendered.
He said, “My stance on this has not changed, only that maybe people interpret it the way they want. There is a national law that should guide all these and there is international law that guides this because this is not the first time we’re having this sort of challenge in various countries,” Ndume said.
“Normally, when you get to war level, you are expected to either defeat the enemy or the enemy surrenders. Once the enemy surrenders, you lose the right of summarily executing him because he is an enemy. You also don’t have the right to summarily declare him innocent and say, oh, you have sinned, go and sin no more.
