News
Fears as military plans ex-terrorists’ release to governors
There are concerns that the plan by the military to release another set of repentant terrorists into society could subvert the progress made so far in the war against insurgency.
No fewer than 613 rehabilitated terrorists undergoing de-radicalisation are scheduled to be handed over by the military authorities to their respective state governors.
This has, however, heightened fears that the repentant terrorists may have ulterior motives.
In July 2022, some repentant Boko Haram members, despite renouncing their membership of the terror group, were accused of having contact with their former colleagues.
The ex-terrorists were among the 800 persons who were recently reintegrated into the Bama community in Borno State and were resettled at the Government Girls Secondary School Bama.
The repentant terrorists, who were alleged to have sneaked out of Bama town, were said to have dealt in scrap metals with some Boko Haram terrorists in a market known as Daula located on the outskirts of Goniri village before the incident occurred.
Apart from this, the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa, had separately expressed doubt over the sincerity of the repentant terrorists in the past.
Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, a security expert, Timothy Avele, said the ex-terrorists could not be trusted.
He said, “On a personal level, I am not in support of the policy. You cannot release so-called repentant terrorists back into society when the war is still raging on. Who monitors them? How is the government or military sure of their loyalty to the country instead of their terrorist brothers still in the battlefield?
“As it stands now, neither the government nor the military, nor even the intelligence agencies can truly monitor these so-called repentant terrorists. We don’t have the technology to do so currently in Nigeria. We can only pray and hope that they will be good citizens, but there are no guarantees. “
But Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi (retd.), on his part, dismissed the insinuations that those the military was planning to release to society would return to their old ways.
He added that the military would have learnt from past experience to ensure that such mistakes were not repeated, noting that the ex-terrorists would be closely monitored.
“The military must have learnt from the incident and ensured that they (repentant terrorists) might have been properly de-radicalised before releasing them into society. I think they will be watched closely and whoever is caught going back should be dealt with within the ambit of the law. I doubt that these ones will go back to their vomit,” Adewinbi stated.
Another retired officer, Brigadier General Sani Usman, said the issue of repentant terrorists required a holistic approach, adding that the Federal Government must develop a unique modality for dealing with the issue of repentant terrorists.
He also said the de-radicalisation and reintegration of the repentant terrorists must not be left in the hands of the military and the Borno State Government alone.
Usman said, “There is a need to follow up on the collaborative effort of the whole society approach. Beyond this, there is also a need for the Federal Government to come to the aid of the military and the Borno State Government in finding a procedure for handling the over 80,000 repentant terrorists.
“Some time ago, I heard the theatre commander talking about the Maiduguri initiative, that is fine but we are faced with a unique situation. There is nowhere in the world where you have such a huge number of terrorists surrender hence there is a need to come up with a unique approach to handle them. First, we need to work on our justice system. I have said on several occasions that people should not be allowed to get away with their crimes. We must ensure that justice is done not only to the victims, but to the suspects themselves.
“With due respect to Operation Safe Corridor, the Federal Government must intervene and set up a committee and critically evaluate them on the basis of their participation in the insurgency. Some of them were conscripted, while some of them were terrorist commanders. Some of them even participated in attacking their own towns, how can you think of and rehabilitate those people? The judiciary must be fully involved.
“We also have to dig deep into this issue to understand why they did what they did or are doing. That is where the criminal justice system administration has to come to play. It is a delicate and complex issue that has to be handled properly. We have assisted to reintegrate people elsewhere like Liberia, and Sierra Leone. We have come out with a blend of experience and best practices to effectively resolve the issue.”
‘Tread with caution’
Meanwhile, some security experts and researchers have asked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, to tread with caution in his plan to hand over 613 low-risk repentant terrorists to their state governments.
Irabor disclosed the plan on Thursday during the fifth stakeholders’ meeting of the Operation Safe Corridor in Abuja.
Reacting to this move, a researcher in the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who has worked extensively on the matter, Dr Ugwueze Ikechukwu, said the Nigerian Army and its component units should tread with caution, noting that the move might backfire if not well handled.
While stating that it was not a new move, Ikechukwu faulted the Army for not using a community-based approach in the rehabilitation and reintegration process.
The expert, who had a paper published on the matter, said, “It is also known as Operation Safe Corridor, and for a very long time, we have continued to complain about the government’s use of the kinetic approach in resolving the Boko Haram issue.
“The plan to rehabilitate and reintegrate these ‘repentant’ Boko Haram into society is only a soft approach to counter-terrorism, and we are shocked that it is still being used by the Nigerian military.
“Unfortunately, the greatest threat to this is the community approach to the issue. The programme completely lacks community inclusion. The community where these Boko Haram terrorists are reintegrated do not receive them with open arms and this is a problem.
“At a time in Borno State, when the government was pushing for this reintegration, some community members protested down to the Government House and told the government to take them to Aso Rock and not their community. Their concerns should not be pushed aside.”
He also stated that there had been issues around the so-called repentant Boko Haram members returning to the forest.
“A former House of Representatives member, Ali Ndume, complained that some of the first recipients of the rehabilitation went back to terrorism. This is why we are saying the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, and his men should tread with caution so that we don’t have a bigger problem of these repentant Boko Haram members acting as spies for their colleagues in the forests,” Ikechukwu added.
Also reacting, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre and the Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group, Auwal Rafsanjani, asked the Army to first rehabilitate the victims of the killings first before talking about reintegrating the repentant Boko Haram members into society.
He said, “What the Nigerian Army needs to do is to rehabilitate the communities that have been bastardised and destroyed by the terrorists rather than offering those who committed the offence a soft landing.
“The priority should be the victims, not the terrorists. They are the ones who need counselling, reconciliation, sympathy and support, which, unfortunately, the Nigerian government has refused to focus on.
“The government is pampering these terrorists, who have committed atrocities against innocent people – women, men and children.
“If there are genuine people who are repentant, we need to test them first so that we are sure that they are not going back or becoming spies to these groups of terrorists. We must be very careful. Some of these hardcore terrorists never really change.”
A retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, Olufemi Ajisafe, stated that the move was an agenda that must be stopped, noting that terrorists do not just repent.
Ajisafe said, “Terrorists are not thieves or armed robbers. They are hard-core killers and they do not repent. So, I am surprised that the Army is falling for this agenda. That blood is still in them; it is a movement for them. It is not just criminality for these people.
“These people committed offences that they should either be killed or kept away from social life for as long as they live. We are talking about Boko Haram here, for God’s sake. How do you de-radicalise Boko Haram? Is it not similar to giving them more power to strike? They should be arrested and prosecuted.”
Also commenting, a former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, said he had his reservation on the matter of reintegration and urged the government to do thorough checks on the repentant terrorists.
He stated, “We already have a precedent that some people were released before and they still went back and killed a relative of a sitting senator.
“I am not in the government but I feel they must have taken all necessary measures to screen those people. But, we know it is not 100 per cent true. Some of them can go back to the forest, while some may repent. I don’t know what process they want to take to get reassurance that these terrorists will not go back to the forests, but I have my reservation.”
Another security consultant, Mr Yemi Adeyemi, urged the defence chief to not compound the already complicated security situation in the country.
“What was the success rate of the first rehabilitation that was reported? There were reports that some of them went back to the jungle. What makes this one different? I hope we don’t end up breeding spies with our own resources,” he said.
However, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Security Watch Africa Initiative, Mr Patrick Agbambu, said there was no fact that repentant terrorists returned to the forest to continue terrorism.
Agbambu said, “There are no facts that the repentant terrorists found their way back to the forests. There was no confirmation; there is no record that shows that any of the demilitarised and de-radicalised suspects returned to terrorism. It is just an assumption and speculation.
“It is not a Nigerian military programme; it is a United Nations programme. These are not the suspects; these are those who surrendered during the processes or those who were conscripted by Boko Haram by force to be used as slave workers in their farms or to perpetrate crimes.
“These repentant Boko Haram members go through a rigorous process, and at the end of the training, they are given some stipends to go and start a new life.”
The President, Nigerian Association of Criminologists, William Ekponson, said the release of the de-radicalised Boko Haram members had economic, social, and security implications for the residents of the states they would be returning to.
While faulting the rationale behind the release, Ekponson noted that Nigerians were still suffering from the shocks of the activities of the insurgents. He also expressed concern that the proposed release of the terrorists was coming at a time when they could be used as thugs by the political class.
However, a security expert, Olumide Fajana urged the state government to involve the communities in the reintegration process and properly monitor the repentant insurgents.
In a similar vein, a Professor of Psychology, Olanrenwaju Adebayo, said the government must make sure that the factors that led the young men into insurgency, such as unemployment, poverty and lack of relationships, must be replaced by meaningful activities that would make them to have a sense of belonging in society.
PUNCH
• Women, children flee Barkin Ladi as gunshots persist
• I’ll protect our people with all I have — Mutfwang
At least nine persons have been killed in fresh attacks in Barkin Ladi, Riyom and neighbouring communities in Plateau State between Saturday night and Sunday morning, triggering tension and evacuation of women and children.
Five of the victims were passengers travelling to Gana-Ropp in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area when they were attacked on Saturday night, while two others, including a pastor, were reportedly killed on their way to church at Dorowa Babuje yesterday morning.
A woman was also reportedly killed at Baten Wereng in Riyom LGA on Saturday night, September 19, while another person was killed at Ratyidi in Fan District.
Several cattle were also reportedly killed or stolen at Dorowa Maranba and the Kantoma axis at about 3 a.m. on Sunday.
National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, MDA, Bulus Dabit, confirmed the killing of the five persons at Gana-Ropp, condemning the attack and calling on security operatives to arrest the perpetrators.
Pyem Youth Leader in Gana-Ropp, Ukasha Garaba, said: “We evacuated the corpses of five persons from Gana-Ropp.
They were passengers who were travelling as labourers.
”Spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders, BYM, Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the attacks and condemned the killings, describing them as worrisome and unacceptable.
Meanwhile, tension has gripped Dorowa Bubuje community in Barkin Ladi following renewed gunshots reportedly heard from the direction of Kantoma, forcing women and children to flee to safer locations.
A community member, Lawrence Shong, said: “As I speak to you, at about 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, we are still hearing sounds of gunshots. Women and children are currently being evacuated because of the ongoing attack.”
Tengwong, who was at the community, said: “Military personnel have been drafted to the community, and what we need now is sustained security deployment to protect the people and prevent further attacks.”
Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, in Barkin Ladi, Gambo Abubakar, also confirmed reports of cattle being stolen in the area and urged security agencies to investigate.
Reacting to the attacks, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Sunday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Mutfwang, who spoke amid renewed attacks in parts of the state, said he would not abandon his responsibility of securing the people, insisting that Plateau would not be defeated by violence or the gun.
The Governor spoke at the 2026 Plateau Annual Convention of the General Council of the Assemblies of God Nigeria, North East Zone, held at the Assemblies of God Nigeria, Jos District Headquarters, Gyel, along the Bukuru Expressway, Jos South Local Government Area.
The convention was held under the theme, “Breaking Barriers into Your Next Level.”
Mutfwang said his administration had continued to work with security agencies to confront perpetrators of violence and restore lasting peace across the state.”
“I cannot abandon my responsibility of securing the people of Plateau State. We will protect our people with all that we have, within the ambit of the law. Plateau State will not be defeated by violence or the gun. We must remain united because our collective strength is critical to overcoming the challenges confronting us.”
“We are ready to die here,” miners return to site
That was the grim declaration of some teenage and adult miners who returned to the M.I. Wushishi mining site in Minna, Niger State, even as the mass arrest of suspected illegal miners was still underway, insisting that they had no other means of livelihood.
The miners returned to the site despite the arrest of scores of their colleagues by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the subsequent deaths of 37 of those detained.
Many of the miners, including boys, women and adults, were seen working at the site on Saturday, digging for gold with shovels, picks and other hand tools.
Some of them said they had returned to the mining site on the same day the NSCDC carried out the mass arrests, arguing that abandoning mining would leave them without any source of income.
Their return came after the NSCDC conducted operations around the Lt. Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna on September 15 and 16.
The corps said the operation led to the arrest of suspected illegal miners.
Suberu Aniviye, the suspended NSCDC commandant in Niger State, subsequently said “scores” of the detained suspects were found dead in the early hours of Thursday following a suspected outbreak of disease.
However, the deaths did not stop some miners from returning to the site.
During a visit to the M.I. Wushishi mining site on Saturday, no security personnel were seen in the area, while miners continued their activities.
Some scooped loose soil into sacks and pans, while others used a flowing stream to separate the excavated material. Piles of freshly dug earth and muddy soil were scattered across the site.
One of the miners, Salisu DanMallam, said he was not at the site when the arrests were made but stayed away for two days because of the NSCDC operation.
“I wasn’t here when the incident happened on Monday and they made the arrest,” he said.
“I did not come out again since they made the arrest. I was not here on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the way the civil defence raided and that was why I did not come out.”
DanMallam, who said he had been mining in the area for more than 15 years, said staying away from the site had immediately affected his livelihood.
“If you don’t come out for a day or two you will feel it because there are no profitable jobs,” he said.
He said the miners had developed close relationships over the years, describing them as a family despite not being related by blood.
“We just treat each other like family here,” he said.
“I don’t have direct blood among those who died in the custody of NSCDC.”
DanMallam said he was still unable to establish the number of miners who had died or remained in detention following the arrests.
“I have not ascertained the number of people who are dead or alive. I know that some people were arrested but I haven’t seen them,” he said.
He also said miners in the area avoided digging deep into the earth because of the risk of landslides.
“Even if we dig, we don’t dig beyond our knee level. We don’t dig much because of landslide,” he said.
DanMallam said he also worked as a driver for a block-making business but found the job unprofitable compared with mining.
Another miner, 26-year-old Buhari Rabiu, said he had spent about two years working at the site.
Rabiu said he and others fled the area after receiving information that NSCDC officers were approaching.
“I was informed earlier that the officers were coming. One of the women informed us, and we left,” he said.
“Not long after we left, we heard that civil defence was arresting us.”
Rabiu also alleged that he had previously been arrested and assaulted by NSCDC personnel during a raid on suspected illegal miners.
He claimed that he sustained injuries during the encounter and was taken to hospital for treatment before his release after his parents intervened.
“When my parents wanted to bail me, they insisted that NSCDC must treat me. They took me to the hospital to stitch my wounds,” he said.
Rabiu further alleged that N120,000 was collected for his release.
He also alleged that one of his friends was shot at close range by NSCDC personnel during an encounter with miners.
“They did not even want to grant me bail. It was barely four weeks ago. I was there for four days at the time. They did not grant me bail until my relative arrived,” he said.
Rabiu added that his involvement in mining had prevented him from working as a truck pusher at the market. (Vanguard)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested and detained 24 personnel in connection with the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, parading the suspended Niger State Commandant, Commandant Subaru Siyaka Aniviye, and 23 other officers at the Corps Headquarters in Abuja.
The Corps also ordered the service flag to fly at half-mast across all commands and formations for three days. Commandant General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, said due process, transparency and accountability would be strictly followed in the investigation of the personnel currently held in the custody of the Corps, adding that every personnel found culpable would face the full weight of internal disciplinary measures and the law.
The Corps Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant Babawale Afolabi, while parading the officers and men at the Corps Headquarters, disclosed that, as against the initial figure of 21 personnel, three more personnel identified had also been placed on suspension, bringing the total to 24 personnel.
The spokesman explained that “in a swift and decisive joint operation conducted in conjunction with the Commandant General’s Special Investigation Squad (SIS), all officers and men of the Niger State Command linked to the gross misconduct have, since the 17th September 2026, been taken into protective custody at the National Headquarters, Abuja, where they are undergoing rigorous interrogation and administrative disciplinary action, so as to make them available for the Presidential Independent Investigation Committee and other investigation panels for further investigation and possible prosecution.”
According to him, in a solemn demonstration of the Corps’ grief, institutional remorse and absolute disapproval of the incident, the Commandant General ordered that the NSCDC flag be flown at half-mast across all formations for three days, starting from Sunday, 20th September 2026, to signal the Corps’ collective mourning and its unwavering resolve to purge the system of bad eggs.
He said, “as a Corps built on integrity, professionalism, discipline, and absolute respect for the rule of law, we do not condone unprofessional conduct, high-handedness, or any action that undermines the fundamental rights of citizens or the sacred trust reposed in us.”
The Corps pledged to continue to keep the public abreast of the outcome of the investigation, adding that the leadership of the NSCDC remained unwavering in its commitment to transparency, human rights protection and professional ethics. He also appreciated the patience and understanding of Nigerians during the internal re-evaluation.
The 24 personnel named in connection with the incident are Commandant Subaru Siyaka Aniviye, suspended NSCDC Niger State Commandant; DCC Ajayi Philips, Head of Department (HOD), Intelligence and Investigation; DCC John Agrahau Chagwa, HOD, Operations; DCC Obafemi Elvis; ACC Stephen Tsado, Officer in Charge (O/C), Legal; CSC Oluwadare Sunday; CSC Annas Shittu Lamino; SC Usman Isah Ndamaka; DSC Aminu Sule Garba; DSC Musa Marafa; DSC Isah Sulaiman; ASCI Hassan Muhammad; ASCI Alhassan Muhammad; Aliyu Sallah, on guard duty; IC Abdullahi Sale; IC Mohammed N. Sonfada; Mohammed Jiya; Sale Adamu; Haruna Muhammed; CCA Baba Muhamma; CAI Isah Sanusi; CAI Liman Abubakar; CAI Bala Usman; and CAI Ahmed Wushishi.
Regarding DCC Ajayi Philips and DCC John Agrahau Chagwa, the Corps attributed their inclusion to “lack of supervision” in their respective departments.
The 37 detainees died days after they were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of Niger State on September 15 and 16.
The NSCDC had initially attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, saying the actual cause of death would be established through medical examination
Kogi State has been thrown into mourning as former Governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris, fondly called Ibro, has reportedly died in the United Kingdom at 77.
Sources broke the sad news on Sunday, with details of his passing still sketchy as of press time.
Though details regarding the latest development are still sketchy, family sources said Idris had suffered protracted illness.
Meanwhile, incumbent Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has condoled with the former governor’s family.
In his condolence message, Ododo described the late lawmaker as a man who had made meaningful contributions in politics and business.
The governor also recalled his last meeting with the ex-governor in March 2024 during a visit involving political stakeholders from Omala Local Government Area.
Ibro was not just a governor. He was an institution.
From businessman to political colossus, Idris stormed Kogi politics in 2003 when he floored incumbent Abubakar Audu to emerge governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
What followed was a turbulent, dramatic reign.
His 2007 re-election was nullified by the courts after Audu was excluded from the ballot. The Court of Appeal in February 2008 ordered a fresh election. Idris fought back and won the March 2008 re-run, holding on to power until January 2012 when he handed over to Captain Idris Wada.
Born in Idah in 1949, Idris built his name in business before politics — founder of Ibro Trading Company, with tentacles in construction, furniture and hospitality.
He built a furniture factory in Sokoto and Ibro Hotel, reputed to be the first three-star hotel in old Sokoto State.
Fate tested him in 2006 when three of his daughters miraculously survived the ill-fated ADC Airlines Flight 53 crash that killed 96 others. A grateful Ibro called it a “superlative show of mercy” from God.
But tragedy never left him far.
In April 2024, he buried his son, Mohammed Ibrahim Idris, former member of the House of Representatives for Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala, who died in Abuja shortly after Eid-el-Fitr prayers.
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