The president of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria HURIWAN, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubuiko made a shocking remark on Tuesday 7th May 2019 in the morning on Channels Television Sunrise daily anchored by Moupe Ogun Yusuf and also had the special assistant to president Muhammadu Buhari on media Mr. Garba Shehu. In the words of the human rights president “ Some Boko Haram that have been deradicalised were recruited into the army and the facts are there.”
The shocking statement was in response to the question of the anchor of the interview, Moupe Ogun on whether the human rights president shared the optimism or was persuaded by the fact that he thought that things are getting better security wise in the country as earlier affirmed by president Buhari’s special assistant on media before the break. This was the response from Mr. Onwubuiko: “ I want to ask Nigerians if you have the time and the data to go and read the statement of made by the Emir of Katsina only about twenty-four hours ago. I think it was on the cover of daily trust this morning. He was telling the minister of agriculture to tell president Buhari that there is no security in Katsina, the President’s hometown. “
Please let’s look into the words of the Emir of Katsina before we proceed. The Honourable Minister for agriculture and the Central Bank governor paid a visit to the Emir of Katsina in his palace and these were the words of the Emir; ” Honourable Minister, tell the president that we have to take very good care of our people, security first. All these programmes, as good as they are cannot be without security. Security is first and fundamental. Every day I receive reports of kidnapping and killings from the district and village heads. What are you to gain by killing, kidnapping people? It is very unfortunate. I have not seen this kind of country. How do we live like animals?”
Going back to the words of the human rights president, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubuiko on Channels Television, ”What have we done about the prosecution of Boko Haram terrorists that have been arrested? When you arrest a suspect, you prosecute him vehemently and transparently. Rather you decide to rehabilitate, you integrate him into the Nigerian army. Some deradicalised Boko Haram members have been integrated into the Nigerian army, the facts are there.“
On Tuesday 19th June 2018, Abas Jimoh from Daily Trust wrote about the statement of the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Olasupo Ayokunle made public by the special assistant to the CAN president, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji. The statement reads, “ CAN is visibly disturbed at the report that the Federal government has allegedly directed the Nigerian army and the police to recruit some former members of Boko Haram terrorists who recently underwent the de-radicalisation programme. If it is true, CAN condemns it in strong terms and as the Federal government especially security agencies to withdraw that directive which is capable of compromising the nations security system.”
Olusola Fabiyi from Punch media also reported in Abuja the arrest of Boko Haram members by the DSS while making plans to join the army. The DSS made their official statement through their spokesperson Mr. Tony Opuiyo.
In his words, “ In response to the regrouping of Boko Haram elements in Kano state, the service in concert with the military carried out coordinated operations in the state which led to the apprehension of two high profile members of the Boko Haram sect. They are Ibrahim Abubakar and Idris Audu. Audu is an IED improvised explosive devises specialist who has been groomed to penetrate security agencies in the country. Audu had already perfected plans to seek for recruitment into the next recruitment scheme of the Nigerian army before his arrest.”
In the words of the Human Rights Writers Association president, Emmanuel Onwubuiko on Channels Television, “ the primary duty of the government according to section 14, two B of the Nigerian constitution is to provide the security of lives and properties of every Nigerian citizen and immigrant. If a government is incapable or unwilling, or lack the will power to enforce the relevant laws against outlaws, hoodlums, people that have taken up arms against the state, that government has lost the authority and the legitimacy to govern.“
Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria according to the Nigerian constitution. The government should ensure that there is a serious background check for those recruited Into the security agencies and a huge investment should be made to enhance Nigeria’s security architecture. Like the Emir of Katsina said the security of lives and property is first and fundamental before economic development.
