Nigerians React As FG Invests ₦1.4 Billion In Repentant Terrorists Program

The Nigerian government has spent approximately ₦1.4 billion over the past 18 months on the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists and the establishment of terrorism trial centers.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Following the approval of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 12, 2022, the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was established.

In December 2022, the government revealed plans to create two centers focused on disarmament, deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former Boko Haram members and other terrorist groups in Nigeria.

According to Rear Admiral Yem Musa (retd.), the NCTC Coordinator, the government intends to invest ₦2.4 billion in these centers as part of the NCTC’s ₦3.8 billion capital project budget for 2023.

However, an investigation by The PUNCH, using the GovSpend civic tech platform, found that between December 2022 and May 2024, the Ministry of Justice spent ₦1.4 billion on the construction of rehabilitation centers for repentant terrorists and the renovation of a previously abandoned facility for terrorism trials.

On March 27, 2023, the Ministry allocated ₦612 million to three companies for the renovation of buildings intended for terrorism trials and the construction of dormitories for the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists under Operation Safe Corridor.

The initial payment of ₦286.7 million was made to El-haby Concept Limited for the renovation and furnishing of a terrorism trial facility at Giwa Barracks. An additional ₦21.5 million was paid to Interprise Limited for consultancy services for the design and oversight of facilities for the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists. Furthermore, Fosab Global Energy Service Ltd received ₦303.7 million as a supplementary payment for the construction of the rehabilitation center.

In 2024, the Ministry allocated ₦179 million to three companies for similar projects. This included ₦11.5 million paid to Jayjaysen Integrated Links Ltd for supplies to support terrorism prosecutions and ₦16.4 million to Estergel Ltd for similar acquisitions. Fosab Global Energy Service Ltd also received ₦151.8 million as part of the construction payment for the rehabilitation center.

NCTC Terrorism Trials

On December 15, the NCTC announced that it had convicted 325 terrorists during its Phase 5 and Phase 6 trials at the Kainji Detention Facility. Sentences ranged from the death penalty to life imprisonment, with terms from 20 to 70 years depending on the severity of the crimes.

Phase 5 trials in July 2024 resulted in 125 convictions from 143 cases, while Phase 6 processed 237 cases, leading to 200 convictions. However, there has been no official information on the commencement of Phase 7 trials.

When questioned about the secrecy of the trials, the Attorney General’s Office did not provide a response.

Security experts and civil society organizations have criticized the secretive nature of the trials. Lekan Jackson-Ojo, a security expert, expressed concerns, stating, “When other criminals are tried, the media reports it, but why are these terrorists being tried in secrecy?”

Another expert, Chidi Omeje, also questioned the reasoning behind the secrecy, asking whether the military, which has lost personnel to terrorist attacks, might be shielding the terrorists.

However, Kabir Adamu, a security analyst, defended the secret trials, citing the need for security measures in handling suspects and the importance of conducting the trials in a way that ensures transparency and rule of law.