- No Boko Haram, Fulani herder or other terrorist has ever been sentenced to death in Nigeria – NewsRescue
The Federal Government has vowed to prosecute Boko Haram terrorists and anybody suspected to be engaged in acts of terrorism.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the technical consultations on considering and developing a comprehensive approach to prosecuting, rehabilitating and re-integrating former Boko Haram terrorists.
Monguno said that Nigeria was resolved to win the fight against terrorism through its core national values, which include respect for human rights as guaranteed by Chapter 4 of the 1999 constitution, and relevant international human rights conventions.
“Whereas the violent do not respect human rights and share no such values, we are committed to ensuring that every suspect charged with terrorism has a day in court,” the Minister said.
He stated that counter-terrorism measures are only effective when anchored within the rule of law and the human rights framework, explaining that it is why Nigeria undertook a holistic approach to strengthening her criminal justice system to serve as her most formidable weapon against terrorism.
Against that backdrop, he said that Nigeria was partnering with the European Union (EU), the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and other relevant agencies to find the best approach to prosecuting, rehabilitating and re-integrating former members of Boko Haram.
“We are, therefore, looking beyond the ongoing counter-insurgency campaigns in the Northeast to the next phase where Violent Extremist Offenders (VEOs) who had either repented or had passed through the criminal justice process were rehabilitated and re-integrated back to the society,” he stated.
Monguno pointed out that the commitment to defeat terror through the strength of laws and values informed the Abuja Declaration on the Treatment of Violent Extremist Offenders under the Nigeria Countering Violent Extremist (CVE) Programme of April 14, 2016.
According to him, the declaration recommended as follows:
“CVE programmes need to be developed and implemented within a strategic policy and legal framework that promotes an end to violence, accountability, justice, re-integration and reconciliation; and Federal Government establishes and implements a sector-wide monitoring and evaluation framework for the De-radicalisation programme through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“Also that appropriate authorities develop and establish a mechanism for the transfer of those awaiting trial or convict(s) to the custody of the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS); and investigation and justice agencies establish a coordination mechanism to ensure that prosecution and court hearings are conducted in a timely fashion and in accordance with national legislation.”
Also speaking, the representative of the EU delegation, Mr. Richard Young, stated that there were various views concerning tackling terrorism, including those who believe that terrorists who surrender and are captured should be sent to prison, de-radicalised and be reintegrated into the society; as well as those who hold the view that terrorists should be fully prosecuted, which he said was a “difficult” view.
Young gave examples of Italy and Spain, with historically has good legal systems, which helped in providing reduced sentences for terrorists in exchange for information for the arrest and prosecution of others involved in terrorist acts.
