Shehu warns terrorist rehab sends wrong signal to victims, cites 700 Boko Haram grads

Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu criticized Nigeria's terrorist rehabilitation programmes today, arguing they send a dangerous message to victims by treating criminals leniently. Speaking on X, he insisted the state must enforce law strictly without compromise, citing 'life for life' justice, and said forgiveness belongs to God alone, not government.

Shehu specifically faulted amnesty programmes for Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed groups, noting over 700 repentant Boko Haram members graduated from de-radicalisation training just yesterday and will be deployed back into communities they previously terrorised. He warned this could provoke retaliation from victims' families and create perverse incentives where unemployed youth might take up arms hoping for similar leniency if caught.

The commentator stressed that such policies bend the law to accommodate crime, potentially undermining public trust in justice systems. With Nigeria having faced over a decade of insurgency, Shehu's critique highlights tensions between reconciliation efforts and accountability demands from affected communities.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/18/rehabilitating-terrorists-sends-wrong-signal-to-victims-mahdi-shehu/