Halt Terrorist Rehabilitation Programme
The Senate has asked the Federal Government to suspend the rehabilitation and reintegration programme for Boko Haram members while urging security agencies to intensify efforts to arrest and prosecute terrorists and other criminal elements responsible for attacks across the country.
The resolution was adopted during plenary on Tuesday following a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua on the escalating attacks, abductions and killings of serving and retired military personnel, which he described as a growing threat to national security and state authority. The Senate also directed its committees responsible for security matters to strengthen oversight of security agencies and ensure that the nation’s security chiefs are put on their toes over the deteriorating security situation.
As part of its resolutions, the upper chamber resolved that a delegation led by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, should meet with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the worsening security crisis. This high-level engagement is seen as critical to addressing what lawmakers described as a systemic failure in the nation’s approach to combating insurgency and banditry.
Escalating Attacks on Military Personnel Raise Alarm
Presenting the motion, Senator Yar’Adua lamented the increasing wave of attacks targeting serving and retired military officers across several states, noting that the incidents have resulted in deaths, prolonged captivity, ransom payments, emotional trauma and economic hardship for victims, their families and the nation. He cited several high-profile cases that have sent shockwaves through the military establishment and the general public.
Among the cases highlighted was the abduction of retired Colonel Rabiu Garba Yandoto and his two children along the Gusau-Tsafe road in Zamfara state on January 1, 2023. The Senator also recalled the kidnapping and subsequent killing of retired Major General Richard Chukwudi Duru in Imo state in September 2023, despite the payment of a $50,000 ransom. He also remembered the murder of retired Brigadier Gen. Uwem Udokwere, who was killed by intruders at his residence in Lokogoma, Abuja, in June 2024, as well as the abduction of former National Youth Service Corps Director General, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (retd), who spent 56 days in captivity before regaining his freedom in April 2025.
Other cases included the abduction and death of retired Major Joe Ajayi in Kogi state in May 2025; the kidnapping and subsequent rescue of retired Colonel Joseph Ajanaku in Plateau state in January 2026; and the abduction and death in captivity of former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar (retd), who was kidnapped alongside his wife in Katsina state on May 30, 2026. Senator Yar’Adua said the killing of retired Major General Abubakar and other victims while in the custody of terrorists represents a painful national loss and underscores the persistent insecurity confronting the country.
Senate Rejects Terrorist Rehabilitation Programme
The Senate’s call for the suspension of the rehabilitation and reintegration programme marks a significant shift in the legislative approach to counter-terrorism. Lawmakers argued that rehabilitating terrorists who have committed heinous crimes against innocent civilians and security personnel sends a wrong signal and undermines the fight against insurgency. They maintained that the programme has failed to achieve its objectives and may even be encouraging more individuals to join terrorist groups in the hope of eventual amnesty and rehabilitation.
Senator Yar’Adua warned that the increasing targeting of serving and retired military personnel by terrorists and criminal groups signals a dangerous shift in the nation’s security landscape, particularly because many of the victims had previously held sensitive operational, intelligence and command positions within the country’s security architecture.
Also Read : BREAKING: Tinubu Orders ICPC Probe Into Fake PFIPC Council – 30 Days to Submit Report
He argued that these attacks are not random but appear to be coordinated and targeted, suggesting that terrorists may have access to intelligence on the identities and locations of retired military officers.
Security Chiefs Under Pressure as Oversight Intensifies
The Senate also directed its committees responsible for security matters to strengthen oversight of security agencies and ensure that the nation’s security chiefs are put on their toes. This directive signals growing frustration among lawmakers over the persistent insecurity despite the massive budgetary allocations to the security sector. The committees are expected to conduct more rigorous oversight visits, demand accountability for funds allocated to security agencies, and push for more effective strategies to combat terrorism and banditry.
Following deliberations, the Senate resolved to call on the Federal Government to halt the rehabilitation and reintegration of terrorists, ensure the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for violent crimes, and strengthen the nation’s security response through enhanced oversight and engagement with the presidency. The Senate also called for the immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abduction and killing of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and other victims, with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Nation Awaits Outcome of Senate-Presidency Meeting
The proposed meeting between the Senate leadership and President Tinubu is expected to provide a platform for frank discussions on the security crisis and possible solutions. Lawmakers are expected to press the President on the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s counter-terrorism strategy, including the rehabilitation programme for terrorists and the overall approach to tackling insurgency and banditry. The outcome of this meeting could have far-reaching implications for the nation’s security policy and the fight against terrorism.
As the Senate takes a firm stance against the rehabilitation of terrorists, many Nigerians are watching to see how the Federal Government will respond to the resolution. The call for suspension of the programme has been welcomed by many citizens and civil society organisations who have long argued that rehabilitation without accountability undermines justice and encourages impunity. However, security experts have warned that a complete halt to the programme could have unintended consequences, including the radicalisation of former insurgents who may have genuinely renounced violence. For now, the Senate has made its position clear, and the ball is now in the court of the executive to respond to the legislative demand.
