Reps join senate in call for termination of repentant terrorists’ rehabilitation

 The House of Representatives has asked the federal
government to end the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists.

 

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored
by Ademorin Kuye, lawmaker representing Shomolu federal constituency in Lagos,
during plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Kuye said the federal government must
dismantle the ransom-cash economy, strengthen financial intelligence
coordination, and enforce compliance with anti-money-laundering frameworks.

The lawmaker said reports by the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS) and independent security research organisations estimated that
Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion in ransom between January 2021 and June 2025.

He said investigations by the National Counter Terrorism
Centre under the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) found that
point-of-sale (POS) operators and other financial channels are used to
facilitate ransom payments and conceal financial trails, thereby hindering
recovery efforts and law enforcement investigations.

Ademorin said criminal and terrorist groups continued to
exploit both formal and informal financial systems—including bureau de change
operators, cryptocurrency platforms, livestock transactions and trade-based
money laundering schemes—to launder ransom proceeds.

He warned that weak financial intelligence coordination and
poor enforcement of anti-money laundering laws have heightened security
threats, eroded public confidence, and increased the risk of international
sanctions as well as Nigeria’s continued placement on the financial action task
force grey list.

THE DEBATE

Bamidele Salam, chairman of the house committee on public
accounts, opposed the motion, cautioned against criminalising the payment of
ransom when the government has not adequately protected lives and property.

Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the committee on navy, supported
the motion, noting that paying ransom to Kidnappers and bandits only encourage
them to continue their crimes.

The lawmaker proposed an amendment to the motion, urging the
government to end the rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists,
kidnappers and bandits into society.

“Anybody who kills deserves to be killed, except in cases
such as a motor accident, where the law is clear. But if you invade innocent
Nigerians’ homes, kidnap them, take them into the bush, subject them to
terrible torture before taking their lives, including those of traditional
rulers, you don’t deserve one second of survival,” he said.

The legislator claimed that some rehabilitated former
insurgents could be leaking information to criminal groups, contributing to
attacks on security personnel during operations.

Gagdi’s amendment was unanimously adopted by the parliament
when Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, subjected it to a voice vote.

Ahmadu Jaha, lawmaker representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok
federal constituency, said only those whose relatives were held captive truly
understand the pain of abduction.

He questioned whether lawmakers opposing ransom payments
would maintain the same position if their own relatives were kidnapped.

On Tuesday, the senate asked the federal government to
discontinue the rehabilitation programme for repentant Boko Haram members.

The federal government launched the rehabilitation programme
for repentant terrorists in 2016 under the military-led initiative known as
Operation Safe Corridor.

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