FG’s decision not to prosecute repentant insurgents is in line with global best practice — Minister

Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed says the decision by the federal government not to prosecute repentant insurgents is “in line with global best practice”.

Mohammed said this on Friday in Washington DC, United States, during his engagement with global media outlets. Following the mass surrender of Boko Haram insurgents, some Nigerians have kicked against the de-radicalisation and rehabilitation initiative for the insurgents by the Nigerian army under the Safe Corridor programme.

“I personally spoke to the military authority before I left Nigeria and they said what they were doing is what the global practice dictates about soldiers that surrendered that should be treated as prisoners of war,” NAN quoted Mohammed to have said.

“You cannot just sh**t them because there are international conventions that give rights also to prisoners of war. What the military is doing is that, when they surrender, they profile them to ensure that they are genuine and reintegrate them into the society.”