Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned that the proposed bill to legislate the outright pardon of armed terrorists under the guise of deradicalisation programme could result in civil war either in the short, medium or long term.

The bill is sponsored by Ibrahim Geudam of Yobe East Senatorial District and was read for the first time on the floor of the Senate on Thursday. It seeks the establishment of an agency that would ensure the Rehabilitation, Deradicalistion, and Reintegration of repentant terrorists in Nigeria.

But HURIWA warned that the bill is unconstitutional and offends all relevant anti-terrorism Laws of the federation.

“Let us caution the section of the National legislators who are actively conniving with armed terrorists to introduce a satanic legislation that will overlook the mindboggling crimes of genocides committed by terrorists and the killings of over 30,000 innocent Nigerians in the last 10 years with the view to appease the terrorists even when the victims of terrorism are scattered in different Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Nigeria and are external refugees in so many nearby countries.

“If this bill to legalise the freeing of arrested terror suspects under any guise succeeds, then the nation should be prepared for the consequences of their unconstitutional action because the hundreds of thousands of innocent victims of the terrorists attacks in the last decade will definitely not fold their hands whilst those who killed their loved ones are pardoned through roguish means by the passage of this criminally minded bill that is meant to legalise belonging to terror cells and participating in mass murders.

“This bill before the Senate is not only satanic and unconstitutional, but will paint the picture of a rogue nation because in all civilisations, those who declare war against innocent citizens and participate in genocide are rounded up and prosecuted and made to face the full weight of the law.

“History is replete with a plethora of trials of persons who have joined terror gangs and carried out mass killings. The plot by the National Assembly to therefore permit the wanton defecation of the constitution of Nigeria by forgiving mass murderers must never be allowed to succeed,” HURIWA affirms.

In the statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the rights group said that government must engage in a law based on war by enforcing anti-terrorism laws. Section 1A (4) of the TPA (as amended) empowers “the law enforcement agencies” to “enforce all laws and regulations on counter-terrorism in Nigeria.”

HURIWA also stated that even before the Senate came up with this bad piece of proposed legislation to pardon terrorists, it is difficult to dismiss the general notion that the Nigerian State has not shown political will and commitment to the war on terror, adding: “It seems that not only have the real brains behind it are not being prosecuted but are also being shielded. An ideology based crime does not end with the incarceration of the foot soldiers.

“Unfortunately, usual extra judicial killing of high-profile suspects suggests a pattern of cover-up. Both Mohammed Yusuf and Alhaji Buji Foi, Boko Haram leader and the financier respectively, suffered the same fate while in police custody.

“Closely related is the manner of enforcement of the law on the subject; enforcement must be within the arm bit of general sense of legality. This implies that government should be conducted within the framework of recognised rules and principles which restrict discretionary power as opposed to the uncertain and crooked cord of discretion.”

HURIWA argued further that “nations which have achieved stability and national security are those which have elevated law above political, religious, ethnic sentiments. The present Federal Government must be compelled to advocate national security on the basis of respect of not only individual rights but also the rule of law but definitely not the appeasement of terrorists.”

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