Calls to prosecute repentant terrorists against global best practices – Lai Mohammed

Tayo AFOLABI

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has argued that calls for the prosecution and killing of the repentant militants rather than granting them amnesty were against global best practices.

Lai Mohammed stated this on Friday in Washington arguing “because there are international conventions” that must be followed.

He said: “I personally spoke to the military authorities 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.

“You cannot just shoot 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.’’

The minister added that it was unfortunate and inconceivable that some Nigerians would be going about with fake news that the surrendered insurgent would be engaged in the military.

He, however, admonished fifth columnists and naysayers to stop spewing negative and false narratives around Boko Haram members who are surrendering in droves in the North-East.

The minister also berated those who claimed that the surrendered insurgents were not actual Boko Haram fighters.