… Questions why FG will reintegrate boko haram members, abandoning IDPs
Senator Ali Ndume yesterday flayed the federal government over amnesty granted some 601 Boko Haram insurgents, saying a repentant sect member who was recently integrated into his community has returned to insurgency after killing his father and stealing his valuables.
Speaking in a BBC Hausa programme monitored in Kaduna yesterday, Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate, queried government’s rationality in spending money to reform the insurgents.
He alleged that many of the “ repentant” Boko Haram members had since gone back to their former base.
Ndume said: “They are like Kharajites(a notorious killer group in ancient Arabia). Many among those released have since ran away. They will never repent.
‘’The government should know what to do about them but not re introducing someone to you, who has killed your parent or your relations.
“Haba! Not that he even apologized to you, he apologized to the government. His thinking was that government has failed and that is why they are being pampered..
“This government’s programme is unacceptable to our people. The right thing is to stop it forthwith.
“If there is sincerity of purpose in this, those in the IDP camps should be trained in various trades and vocation, so they could start life again.’’
The BBC also featured a widow who condemned the programme because Boko Haram insurgents killed her husband.
“This thing is hurting .They killed my husband in my presence , they killed my son, I’m left suffering with four young orphans. Till death, I will never forget that day.
“ I was left with orphans, with no help or assistance, see how harsh life is today. Someday, we eat, on another day, we stay hungry. That is how we are suffering with the children.
“Look at the kind of care given to the Boko Haram members. We that have suffered for six years now, we are not taken care of but the repentant Boko Haram are taken care of by government. Truly, government has not done justice here,’ she said.
Asked on how she was coping with life, the woman said all her remaining children are out of school.
“I’m always washing clothes, I do menial jobs to get N500 and take care of the children,” she said.
A male victim also told the BBC that Boko Haram insurgents killed his relations and chased them out of their home.
“They killed four of my close relations. In what capacity are we going to stay with them again?. Do we see them as human beings or animals? Or do they want us to meet them and take revenge? There will be a serious problem.
“They should go to Gwoza and Bama. Many of the repentant insurgents have rejoined the insurgency. There is nothing you can do to change a Boko Haram member,” he said.
