The decision by former President Muhammadu Buhari and Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to pardon and recruit former Boko Haram militants into Nigerian military worsened the country’s security situation.
In 2021, President Buhari approved a program designed to integrate repentant Boko Haram fighters into the military as part of efforts to bolster the fight against insurgency in the northeastern region.
Governor Zulum, a staunch supporter of this initiative, actively championed the recruitment of former insurgents, offering them a second chance to serve the nation they had once attacked.
The initiative saw over 160,000 former insurgents granted amnesty under a deradicalisation programme, with at least 70,000 of them reintegrated into their communities as of February 2023. Zulum’s administration reassured residents that the ex-combatants had sworn on the Quran to never return to their old ways.
However this policy only emboldened terrorism, as insecurity in the region persisted and even escalated after the programme.
In stark contrast, Zulum has now called for the punishment of minors detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
A recent video shows Zulum expressing mixed feelings about the release of the young protesters, stating that while he was happy they were freed, they should have been punished for their involvement in peaceful demonstrations held from August 1 to 10.
“I’m happy that the [minors] were released. And I’m also not happy. The charge placed against them wasn’t right. But they should have been punished by being taken to remand homes or rehabilitation centres. So they could not repeat what they did,” Zulum said in Hausa.
This stance has sparked controversy, with many questioning why Zulum would advocate leniency for former insurgents—responsible for years of bloodshed and destruction—while suggesting punishment for innocent, peaceful protesters, most of whom are minors.
The #EndBadGovernance protests called for improved governance and accountability, yet the arrest of these minors highlighted an apparent crackdown on civic rights.
The contradiction in Zulum’s approach is hard to ignore. On one hand, he championed a programme that allegedly exacerbated terrorism, granting forgiveness and opportunities to those who terrorised communities. On the other, he suggested punitive measures for minors exercising their democratic right to protest.
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