The Senate on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to discontinue the rehabilitation of so-called “repentant terrorists” and other violent offenders, insisting that those involved in terrorism should be prosecuted in line with the law.
The resolution was adopted during plenary as part of additional recommendations considered alongside a motion addressing the rising attacks, kidnappings and killings of serving and retired military personnel across the country.
The motion was sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Nigerian Army, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua.
Lawmakers argued that Nigeria’s worsening security situation requires tougher measures to deter criminality rather than policies that could be seen as encouraging impunity.
They maintained that individuals found guilty of terrorism and other organised crimes should face immediate prosecution, stressing that justice must not only be served but must also be seen to be served in order to rebuild public confidence in the nation’s criminal justice system.
The additional resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Joseph Ikpea of Edo Central and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The upper chamber also resolved to seek an audience with President Bola Tinubu to formally present its concerns over the deteriorating security situation and relay the fears of Nigerians regarding the persistent wave of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and violent attacks across the country.
The motion was prompted by the recent abduction and death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who was kidnapped alongside his wife in Katsina State and later died while in captivity.
While presenting the motion, Yar’Adua warned of an alarming pattern of attacks targeting both serving and retired military officers, describing the development as a serious threat to national security and the authority of the Nigerian state.
He also recalled the January 1, 2023, abduction of retired Colonel Rabiu Garba Yandoto and his two children by bandits along the Gusau–Tsafe Road in Zamfara State. They were eventually released after negotiations.
The Senate was further reminded of the September 27, 2023, kidnapping of retired Major General Richard Chukwudi Duru in Owerri, Imo State. Despite his family paying a $50,000 ransom, he was later killed by his abductors.
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