It poses new threats – El-Rufai Be vigilant, NSCDC tells private guards
By Bode Olagoke, Abuja and AbdulRaheem Aodu, Kaduna
Following the recent mass repentance of some members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, security experts and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed concerns that some of the criminals might be recruited into the Private Security Guard Companies (PSGC), and consequently wreaked havoc on the society.
Others also queried the genuineness of the so-called repentant insurgents, describing it as ill-timed, even as they demanded to know how government intends to handle them.
The Nigerian Army recently disclosed that more than 800 members of the sect have surrendered, even as the number continues to grow, following the degrading of the strongest Camp Zero in Sambisa Forest.
The terrorist group is waging a seven-year-old uprising against the Nigerian state. This has claimed more than 20,000 lives and property worth billions destroyed. Also, the insurgency has spilled over to the West African nation’s borders into neighbouring states.
However, the fears over the likely havoc the fleeing insurgents as well as their repentant colleagues could wreak on the society have become major source of worry for some security experts and CSOs.
The fears are coming amidst directive issued to all private security outfits by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the North-east on the recruitment process of security personnel, especially in the zone.
Spokesman of the NSCDC, Okeh Emmanuel, who spoke exclusively to our reporter, assured that the agency was conscious of its post-insurgency role, and had started doing same.
According to him, the agency was moving fast to ensure members of the Boko Haram are not recruited by the private security outfits.
He said: “The fact is that Civil Defence has given it as a directive for all the Private Guard companies that they cannot recruit without any guard into their companies without proper background check on them, especially in the North-east region and others areas that are notable for crimes.
“There are other modalities in place that before you recruit anybody into private company, a proper check must be taken and such person being recruited must provide a verifiable guarantor, and the guarantor must show proof that he or she can stand for the person at anytime. This is a directive given to the private guard companies.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Blueprint, a Co-Convener of the Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN), Ibrahim Garba Wala, warned the federal government and the Nigerian Army not to make mistake of giving amnesty to real “Boko Haram who joined the group out of ideological conviction, and had the orientation right from time based on their belief, I think it is something that is so dicey.”
Wala, who said he understands government is trying to rehabilitate some of the members of the group, warned that “it can only be done if the system we have in place is able to detect among those who are surrendering, those that were forcefully converted into insurgency.”
“For example, in the heat of the insurgency, Boko Haram were laying ambush on the roads, kidnapping people and forcing them to be their members. So, if the government is able to identify such individuals that were victims of such situation, the government can find a way to rehabilitate such individuals.
“ But if we are talking about members of Boko Haram who joined the group from their own ideology and had the orientation right from time based on their own belief, I think it is something that is so dicey.“ The government and the security agencies should not in any way make mistake because these are people that believe in it.”
Also in an interview, a security expert and retired director, State Security Services (SSS), Barrister Mike Ejiofor, said on telephone that it was too late for real Boko Haram members to surrender.
“My view is that it is too late for Boko Haram member to say they are surrendering now when the military has virtually defeated them. The people surrendering, what categories of members are they? Are they the leaders of Boko Haram or the foot solders?
“If they now say they are surrendering, they should be properly classified to know the group that are laying down arms, how effective are they? And they must be debriefed to know the level of their involvement in the insurgency war, if they fail to do that it is dangerous.”
The security expert queried the intention of the authority for the repentant Boko Haram members, asking, “what do they want to do with them, is government going to grant them amnesty or what?”
“These people need to be properly interrogated to know their level of involvement and prosecute those of them that need to be prosecuted, and if their level of involvement is not much, the military should keep them in custody for some time and get sufficient information on the structure, leadership and operation of the real Boko Haram group.”
On fears that some repentant insurgents might be recruited into para-military organisations, he said “it is not possible, these are criminals and there is no way any security organisation can get them recruited.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said the dispersal of the insurgents “constitutes a new threat to Nigerians” across the country, and called for collective effort to avert it.
Speaking yesterday in Kaduna after laying the wreath at the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day held at Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna, the governor said all citizens must be vigilant and work with security agents around them to prevent the fleeing insurgents from settling in their communities to continue their acts of terrorism.
El-Rufai, who commended members of the Armed Forces for their patriotism and sacrifice for the nation’s security, said security challenges in the country would have been much worse, if not for the patriotic effort and sacrifice of the military and civil security agents.
“The performance of our military has been commendable, particularly from the beginning of the end of 2015. We are very proud of our armed forces for their achievements. We have seen the decimation of Boko Haram, but at the same time, we have seen the emergence of new threat of banditry, particularly in North West and North Central of Nigeria.
“But things would have been much worse, but for the support we have received from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, the Police and other security agencies. We are very proud of their performance and we commend them for their patriotism and the risk that they take. Their lives are laid, so that we can sleep at night.
“Security is a business of all, if all citizens discharge their duties, ensuring any strange person that comes to their neighbourhood is reported to the security agencies, it will lessen the burden on the security agencies,” he said.
“So, we all have a duty, from citizens, to community leaders, to religious leaders to ensure that though Boko Haram has been dispersed but this has created new dangers, because these people will join the communities and continue to perpetrate act of terrorism.
“This is the time for every indigene to be vigilant, to report to community leaders and law enforcement agents any suspicious person moving into their communities. This is a duty on all of us to help end this menace.
“This government has from day one been committed to supporting federal security agencies to raise the levels of peace and security in the state. We have spent a large amount of money to support them with logistics, materials to ensure that our state is as safe as possible,
and we will continue to do so,” the governor added.
Prayers were offered for the soul of the departed heroes while Governor El-Rufai led dignitaries in the state to lay wreaths in honour of the fallen soldiers.
High point of the event was the firing of 21-gun salute for the departed heroes and release of pigeons to signify peace.
