Buhari to Determine Fate of Repentant Bandits, Terrorists

*Vows to overcome security challenges before leaving in 2023
*Welcomes improved security situation in Northeast, Northwest
*Says he won’t allow Nigerians wallow in hunger

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Against the backdrop of concerns trailing government’s dispositions to terrorists surrendering to the Nigerian troops, only President Muhammadu Buhari would determine the fate of the repentant terrorists, bandits and other criminals in their mode, although he has yet to decide.

The president has, however, expressed optimism that he would leave Nigeria more secured than he met it in 2015 at the end of his eight-year tenure in 2023.
Buhari, who also expressed happiness with the improved security situation in both the Northeast and the Northwest zones has further assured the Nigerian people that he would not allow them to wallow in poverty.

National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd), related the President’s position on Thursday while speaking with newsmen at the end of the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

Specifically, on what would become the fate of the Boko Haram members that have surrendered to the Nigerian troops, Monguno said President Buhari is yet to decide on it.

Some prominent Nigerians and groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), had recently frowned at the manner the federal government had received and treated the ‘repentant terrorists’, claiming its approach was insensitive to the feelings of victims of terrorism and its mindlessness.

But Monguno, while clearing the air, said, “Yes, there are plans. But I don’t want to immediately divulge what has been decided on those plans till the president takes a firm decision on the plans. But definitely that is one of the things that he intends to address with the number of people coming.
“And it’s not just in Nigeria, even in northern Cameroon, you have equally large numbers of people, you know, surrendering to the bonafide agencies of government. But that is all as a consequence of the regional cooperation between the various countries and the agencies of those countries”.

On the general security situation, he said the President vowed to do whatever it would take to ensure that he did not leave the country in security crisis by the time his term of office ended while also expressing his readiness to make more changes in the security architecture of the country if necessary.

His words: “The President also made it very, very clear that he’s not ready to exit government as a failure. He is not going to tolerate that he’s made changes and is ready to make further changes if he is not satisfied. He is completely determined to ensure that there’s a turnaround in the fortunes in the theatre of operations”.

He revealed that all the issues brought before the President centred mainly on the successes recorded in the operations in the Northeast and claimed that large numbers of Boko Haram were surrendering in the Northeast, noting, “never had such large numbers leave the terrorist camp, owing to the relentless activity of the security agencies.”

The NSA, who stated that there was good cooperation, synergy and intelligence-sharing among the armed forces, said President Buhari was happy with the briefs he received.

“The meeting briefed Mr. President, on the current security situation in the country. Well, I’ll say from the last time we met till now, and all the issues that were brought before the president, were mainly issues arising from the successes recorded in the theatre of operations throughout the northeast.
“It is evident that a lot of successes have been recorded. Large numbers of people are surrendering in the northeast as a consequence of the relentless efforts of the Armed Forces, intelligence and security agencies. This is very, very evident.

“We’ve never had such large numbers of people defecting from the other side, back to the Nigerian side, mainly, as a result of many issues within the theatre, issues of infighting among the various factions of the terrorist groups.

“But the new drive of the Armed Forces, the police, the intelligence agencies, there’s been greatest cooperation, greater synergy intelligence sharing, as well as our partners in the regional intelligence fusion unit. So, the president was briefed; the president is quite happy that there’s been tremendous success, especially, with the advent of the new service chiefs and Inspector General of Police.

“And then also the issue of insecurity in the northwest, which is still, even though for those of us who are within the security system, we have seen a significant drop in the number of incidents of kidnapping and banditry, nevertheless, a lot has to be done.

“Because like I’ve always said in the past, as far as the people are concerned, there shouldn’t be any incident of kidnapping, banditry, and other incidents of insecurity.

“So, the president is also aware of that. And he has also made certain assertions which I’m not willing to say right now, till you know, he’s made the final decision on those things. But generally, the atmosphere is improving, especially, in the north eastern part of the country. The president is very, very happy with the drive in that part of the country,” Monguno said.
He, however, advised Nigerians to share intelligence to help security to deal with criminalities more decisively, saying citizens should shun mutual suspension.

“Well, what I expect is for the Nigerian people also to forge a sense of oneness, unity, let’s put aside whatever suspicions, apprehensions or agitations that exists, because in the context of the 21st century, you can’t deal with these emerging crisis in a cut and dried manner. We have to use everything at our disposal, all the elements of national power, including the population, the wider community needs to work with the security agencies to deal with these problems.

“Responses has to be fast. We can’t act on stale intelligence. And that is why as things are happening, right from the grassroots level going all the way up, the local government, the state governments, and then of course, the federal government has its own parts to play.

“People should not cover for those who they have identified – unscrupulous, undesirable people. It is very, very important that we share, because in today’s context, the highest value intelligence doesn’t necessarily need to come from the agencies of government. It could come from any other tangential organisation, institution or group,” he said.

The NSA further hinted that the meeting also addressed the issue of hunger in the country with the president saying he would work with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and relevant ministries, departments and agencies to ameliorate the situation.

“We also addressed the issue of the prevailing situation, which is widespread, you know, issues of hunger. The president is not oblivious of the pains of the people, and is working with the Vice President and other members of council. He’s going to employ the relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government to address this issue.

“As far as he’s concerned, it’s also an emergency situation that people should not be left to wallow in hunger, and in despair. This is something that he’s also going to look into. And he’s going to use all the necessary, all the relevant tools at his disposal to address the issue of widespread hunger.”